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cv too long?

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  • 11-04-2015 8:39am
    #1
    alilconfused
    Registered Users Posts: 12 ✭


    Hi, just looking for advice about my CV . I've always been told a CV should be two pages long but I'm just redoing my CV and my referees won't fit and have to go onto a third page. I'm a teacher and I have been on a lot of one year contracts so I need to include everything I have. I honestly don't think there's anything I can possibly omit.

    Is it OK to use three pages on a CV ?
    Thanks for reading


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    #2
    NegativeOne
    Closed Accounts Posts: 431 ✭✭NegativeOne


    alilconfused wrote: »
    Hi, just looking for advice about my CV . I've always been told a CV should be two pages long but I'm just redoing my CV and my referees won't fit and have to go onto a third page. I'm a teacher and I have been on a lot of one year contracts so I need to include everything I have. I honestly don't think there's anything I can possibly omit.

    Is it OK to use three pages on a CV ?
    Thanks for reading

    You could always write references available upon request?


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    #3
    alilconfused
    Registered Users Posts: 12 ✭alilconfused


    I thought about that Negative One but I thought that it might look like I was hiding something and didn't want referees to be contacted...that may be a stupid notion on my part though! Schools get hundreds of CVs for each position advertised (I've seen the boxes!!) so I was just hoping to make it as easy as possible for potential employer....although I don't want it to look bad if there's three pages.


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    #4
    megafan
    Registered Users Posts: 410 ✭✭megafan


    What you need is a short tantalising CV leave out the rubbish it has to be attractive enough to obtain an interview & that's where you have to shine/impress with knowledge attitude etc. so include relevant information for job applied for... any prospective busy employer might have a lot of job applications to deal with & needs an easy to read CV with relevant content..

    Good Luck!!


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    #5
    km79
    Registered Users Posts: 48,141 ✭✭✭✭km79


    3 pages is too long .In fact one page is the ideal but usually not achievable


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    #6
    alilconfused
    Registered Users Posts: 12 ✭alilconfused


    Thanks for the advice so far. I'm really unsure what to omit. I start with personal info (name, dob, address, teaching council no, garda vetting no etc) then education and qualifications (very consisely), then a short skills profile, then, professional development workshops, work experience and brief outline of roles and then referees and signature and date.

    Any ideas where I can free up some space?

    Thanks guys


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    #7
    TheDriver
    Registered Users Posts: 12,414 ✭✭✭✭TheDriver


    If its subbing, all I want to see is where you live, TC number, where you have been, how u became a teacher and refs. I don't read details of those headings except for details of your experience. If its for a proper job, its an application form.


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    #8
    alilconfused
    Registered Users Posts: 12 ✭alilconfused


    TheDriver wrote: »
    If its subbing, all I want to see is where you live, TC number, where you have been, how u became a teacher and refs. I don't read details of those headings except for details of your experience. If its for a proper job, its an application form.

    Thanks, it's not subbing. I'm looking for September jobs. I have been on 4 one year contracts since I started teaching (career breaks mostly) so I want to put that info in. I'd be looking for full hours again and I see jobs are already being advertised.


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    #9
    alilconfused
    Registered Users Posts: 12 ✭alilconfused


    TheDriver wrote: »
    If its subbing, all I want to see is where you live, TC number, where you have been, how u became a teacher and refs. I don't read details of those headings except for details of your experience. If its for a proper job, its an application form.

    Thanks, it's not subbing. I'm looking for September jobs. I have been on 4 one year contracts since I started teaching (career breaks mostly) so I want to put that info in. I'd be looking for full hours again and I see jobs are already being advertised.

    Not all jobs look for application forms to be filled out. I'd say it's still a majority that look for CVs or it certainly was last year.

    Thanks


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    #10
    mirrorwall14
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,751 ✭✭✭mirrorwall14


    Are you using columns and tabs properly?


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    #11
    alilconfused
    Registered Users Posts: 12 ✭alilconfused


    mirrorwall14 wrote: »
    Are you using columns and tabs properly?

    Yeah as much as possible. I've just played around with it and I can get it to two if I leave referees and signature out.

    What are people's views on ' referees available on request '? I should add that I'll have a number of written references attached with it


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    #12
    Stheno
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 51,687 Mod ✭✭✭✭Stheno


    alilconfused wrote: »
    Thanks for the advice so far. I'm really unsure what to omit. I start with personal info (name, dob, address, teaching council no, garda vetting no etc) then education and qualifications (very consisely), then a short skills profile, then, professional development workshops, work experience and brief outline of roles and then referees and signature and date.

    Any ideas where I can free up some space?

    Thanks guys

    Put references on request, get rid of signature and date, and skills profile.

    I work in IT as a contractor and have ten different roles fitting on two pagesstart with personal details work experience, qualifications and finish with references on request


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    #13
    TheDriver
    Registered Users Posts: 12,414 ✭✭✭✭TheDriver


    Written references aren't worth the paper they're written on. I would say things in person/over phone that I wouldn't put in writing. You need to have a recent p or dp and someone character. If the more recent P or DP is missing, it rings alarm bells


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    #14
    alilconfused
    Registered Users Posts: 12 ✭alilconfused


    Stheno wrote: »
    Put references on request, get rid of signature and date, and skills profile.

    I work in IT as a contractor and have ten different roles fitting on two pagesstart with personal details work experience, qualifications and finish with references on request

    Thanks for all your advice. Was just afraid that references on request might look like I was hiding something! Thanks


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    #15
    alilconfused
    Registered Users Posts: 12 ✭alilconfused


    TheDriver wrote: »
    Written references aren't worth the paper they're written on. I would say things in person/over phone that I wouldn't put in writing. You need to have a recent p or dp and someone character. If the more recent P or DP is missing, it rings alarm bells

    So I should Def leave them in rather than say something like ' referee contact details available on request '?


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    #16
    rainbowtrout
    Registered Users Posts: 15,381 ✭✭✭✭rainbowtrout


    Font size and font type can lead to a lot of wasted space.

    Personal details, if they are listed down the page like an address on an envelope they could be taking up a lot of space. Putting them as a line across the page makes better use of the space available.


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    #17
    implausible
    Registered Users Posts: 3,937 ✭✭✭implausible


    alilconfused wrote: »
    Thanks for the advice so far. I'm really unsure what to omit. I start with personal info (name, dob, address, teaching council no, garda vetting no etc) then education and qualifications (very consisely), then a short skills profile, then, professional development workshops, work experience and brief outline of roles and then referees and signature and date.

    Any ideas where I can free up some space?

    Thanks guys

    How much are you writing for each job? Because where, when, subjects and levels and extra-curricular is sufficient. Are you going into too much detail on professional development workshops? Listing them should be suffient.


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    #18
    bpmurray
    Registered Users Posts: 1,275 ✭✭✭bpmurray


    I can't remember the last time someone actually had references on their CV - it's always on request. And I don't think I've ever seen a CV with a signature. I just wonder if you're including your CV in the cover letter?


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    #19
    evolving_doors
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,812 ✭✭✭✭evolving_doors


    dont go into too much college detail, just course and grade!


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    #20
    alilconfused
    Registered Users Posts: 12 ✭alilconfused


    implausible wrote: »
    How much are you writing for each job? Because where, when, subjects and levels and extra-curricular is sufficient. Are you going into too much detail on professional development workshops? Listing them should be suffient.

    Thats literally all I'm doing but when there's five of them there, it takes up a bit of space. Thanks


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    #21
    alilconfused
    Registered Users Posts: 12 ✭alilconfused


    bpmurray wrote: »
    I can't remember the last time someone actually had references on their CV - it's always on request. And I don't think I've ever seen a CV with a signature. I just wonder if you're including your CV in the cover letter?

    I haven't actually gotten round to writing the cover letter but going on one from last year I'm talking about different strengths etc, maybe a little over lap though.


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    #22
    Birdsong
    Registered Users Posts: 985 ✭✭✭Birdsong


    I get CVs on a regular basis, though not in teaching & having your signature would be considered a bit old school & naff, reference on request is the norm


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    #23
    man_no_plan
    Registered Users Posts: 1,018 ✭✭✭man_no_plan


    Birdsong wrote: »
    I get CVs on a regular basis, though not in teaching & having your signature would be considered a bit old school & naff, reference on request is the norm

    I really couldn't agree that reference on request is advisable. You want to be able to contact the referee easily if necessary. Not having one listed looks iffy Imo.

    In general advertisements state what you need, if it says names of two referees I would be sure I supply them.

    I would say that the following is headline stuff.

    Name
    Teaching council registration
    Qualified subjects
    Other subjects (if you have experience in ty/ lca etc.)

    If you have to read two pages to get to this its all wrong. You've seen the boxes of CVs, yours needs to jump out of the pile.


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    #24
    dory
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 4,483 Mod ✭✭✭✭dory


    I'd say get rid of signature and skills profile. Have the names and numbers of referees, makes it easier on them. Should definitely not go over 2 pages.


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    #25
    Noccy_Mondy
    Registered Users Posts: 6,845 ✭✭✭Noccy_Mondy


    No one is going to want to read through 3 pages of a CV, no matter how impressive it is. Short, concise, to the point information is key.

    Are you using size 12 font, headings in 14, you can reduce to 11 if you have to. Times New Roman or Calibri are the best. You could give narrow/tight margins a shot, but that just adds to the cramming.

    Best of luck!


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    #26
    katydid
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 6,351 ✭✭✭katydid


    alilconfused wrote: »
    Hi, just looking for advice about my CV . I've always been told a CV should be two pages long but I'm just redoing my CV and my referees won't fit and have to go onto a third page. I'm a teacher and I have been on a lot of one year contracts so I need to include everything I have. I honestly don't think there's anything I can possibly omit.

    Is it OK to use three pages on a CV ?
    Thanks for reading

    Back in the eighties, when I was in your position, I taught in so many schools that this alone took up two tabulated pages. What I ended up doing was putting the details of my experience on two pages and attaching them at the end of the CV, and under "Work Experience" summarising something along the lines of, "From (date) to (date), subbing/part-time in various schools. (For further details see last two pages)

    Did it work? Well, the job I eventually got was from an application form...


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    #27
    evolving_doors
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,812 ✭✭✭✭evolving_doors


    katydid wrote: »
    Back in the eighties, when I was in your position, I taught in so many schools that this alone took up two tabulated pages. What I ended up doing was putting the details of my experience on two pages and attaching them at the end of the CV, and under "Work Experience" summarising something along the lines of, "From (date) to (date), subbing/part-time in various schools. (For further details see last two pages)

    Did it work? Well, the job I eventually got was from an application form...

    Yes I was thinking that maybe instead of listing a school and following it by experience from that school, maybe compile all schools into a list (2 colums to save space without full address i.e. St. Mary's (Rathmines)... then in a seperate paragraph following just bulit point and compile all experiences from different schools into 1 i.e.

    Subjects: French JC,LC_________________Personal Development: Superintending/Correcting JC
    Extra Curricular:Chess__________________Other Duties: Organising Lockers


    In the heel of the hunt though if they get a lot of applications, then they'll probably have their criteria laid out for what they want, so best you can do is make it easy to skim and hope you hit everything.

    That's my 2 cent but it's been a while since I've been in the market.


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