My brother's dodgy CV

Jonnie_Onion

I'm hoping that someone can give a bit of advice regarding my brother's CV.

He's 22, and has spent the last 4 years in colleges, and it's looking like he's finally going to give up on third level altogether.

He spend 2 years failing and repeating 1st year in a science course (cert). He didn't do much the next year and then enrolled in a computers course in DIT. It's looking like he'll faill that as well. It seems college just isn't for him even though he's a smart guy.

In terms of work experience, he's done summer work in a supermarket, retail, reception in a hospital. He had a summer clerical position in the GPO last year and will be going back there this summer. Also xmas work in the An Post sorting office over a couple of years.

My main concern is how to explain the years spent in college. Would it be better to lie and say he was only in the first course? After that, I'm sure we could come up with a couple of reasons for dropping out.

Also, any suggestions for areas of work to get into? He has a decent leaving with some honours subjects (around 300 points). I know these days a third level qualification is becoming more and more important, but he'd be well able for a clerical position somewhere, and does have the summer experience.

I'd appreciate any advice. I know it should be him looking into all this, but I think his confidence is low and he just needs to get in somewhere, then he'll be flying.

djeoinc

well in 97 i left school was not sure what i wanted to do but was good at at did one yr in ballyfermot after that ****ed around for for 4 and a half yrs in jobs and on the dole and did another yr course in web design and ****ed
around for another 2 yrs and did another yr in sound engineering i failed all 3 i
could of saved my self the hassle and done a 2 yr course now im 26 and i
now what i want to do and will do it
now my confidence was pretty low and i looked at other people completing college of 4 yrs and lothed them it just takes longer for some people and a life time for others
he will find the type of job likes he just has to find out what hes good at and go with it and get help of the right people
there are alt of services out there to help for getting a job when a interview comes up he has to talk about his experiance in his previous jobs talk about the tranferrable skills he learned

TempestSabre

Be honest and simply say he tired college but it didn't really work for him. Much preferred working to studying.

WhiteWashMan

Jonnie_Onion wrote:

I'm hoping that someone can give a bit of advice regarding my brother's CV.

He's 22, and has spent the last 4 years in colleges, and it's looking like he's finally going to give up on third level altogether.

He spend 2 years failing and repeating 1st year in a science course (cert). He didn't do much the next year and then enrolled in a computers course in DIT. It's looking like he'll faill that as well. It seems college just isn't for him even though he's a smart guy.

In terms of work experience, he's done summer work in a supermarket, retail, reception in a hospital. He had a summer clerical position in the GPO last year and will be going back there this summer. Also xmas work in the An Post sorting office over a couple of years.

My main concern is how to explain the years spent in college. Would it be better to lie and say he was only in the first course? After that, I'm sure we could come up with a couple of reasons for dropping out.

Also, any suggestions for areas of work to get into? He has a decent leaving with some honours subjects (around 300 points). I know these days a third level qualification is becoming more and more important, but he'd be well able for a clerical position somewhere, and does have the summer experience.

I'd appreciate any advice. I know it should be him looking into all this, but I think his confidence is low and he just needs to get in somewhere, then he'll be flying.

i sropped out of college after repeating first year and then failing second year.
so i havent even got half a degree

i put down that i sucessfully completed 2 years (ok, small lie, but i dont think it really matters at that point).
if people ask me, i tell them two things, i tell them that i went a bit mad and spent far too much time being social, and secondly, i had to pay my own way in college and that i had a large bank loan that i needed to pay back, so i had to get a job.

i also add that im not sorry about what had happened, it has taught me some valuable lessons in life and the experience has made me more dedicated to doing the things that i need to do.

use any negative thing to show how you pick yourself up and take the lesson from it.

a lot of employers will take this well, and it shows that you learn and can adapt. and i think most people accept that you will make mistakes in your life, but by bouncing back is how you define yourself.

TempestSabre

Everyone makes mistakes. Its how you deal with them is whats important.

Jonnie_Onion

Some good advice there. Thanks guys.