Using Latex to format your CV

Civilian_Target

I'm not sure if many of you have heard of Latex - it's a program used to automatically format text and is used to print news papers, novels, reports etc. commonly all around the world. I've started becoming familiar with it by necessity of my studies. Because of these same studies I've also had to re-do my CV and I'm considering doing it with Latex instead of with a word processor.

To give you an idea of what the finished result looks like, take a look at this one: http://www.duke.edu/~jrb11/cv/cv-us.pdf
Do you think that CV visually stands out and makes an impact, or simply blends into the crowd as another clone? My previous CV was still 2 pages but subtantially busier, with larger text and smaller margins, possibly too much so.

And on a slightly different note: do you think more personal or impersonal descriptions are more approriate on a CV ?

For example:

Development of a PHP- based web application for internal use. I was required to deal with the language and cultural barriers of working in Macedonia, making myself clear using only the most basic English, and ensuring that I understood their requirements correctly. Also helped with general PC and network maintenance and learnt a smattering of the Macedonian language.

or

While completing a 2 month contract with the PMF, which required me to develop a web application for internal use, I had to deal with the language and cultural difficulties of working in Macedonia. I was required to make myself clear using only the most basic English, and ensure that I understood their requirements correctly as well. Here I put my PHP to full use, as well helping with general PC and network maintenance and learning a smattering of the Macedonian language.

All opinions welcome!

jesus_thats_gre

The CV certainly looks very very professional.

leeroybrown

I think that a LaTeX formatted CV would be useful if you are applying for positions where you think it will be reviewed by people who will appreciate this. By this I mean if those reading your CV are from a mathematical, scientific or computing background. Someone from these backgrounds will probably recognise the formatting and the Computer Modern font which in some instances could be a distinct bonus point.

Personally I prefer impersonal description on a CV. There are no personal references to myself on my CV.

damnyanks

Don't see the difference between that Cv and one typed up in a word processer.

Huggles

damnyanks wrote:

Don't see the difference between that Cv and one typed up in a word processer.

Me neither. I did mine in word and it looks much better.

Imposter

I once had a CV done with Latex but agencies and companies started looking for .docs o I ditche it in favour of a word doc.

I'd still keep it for those jobs you apply to using a paper copy of your CV but you'll probably need a word document as well.

GoneShootin

Imposter wrote:

I once had a CV done with Latex but agencies and companies started looking for .docs so I ditche it in favour of a word doc

Exactly! The likes of irishjobs.ie and recruitireland.com accept .doc format only. Pity really.

Civilian_Target

TheGooner wrote:

Me neither. I did mine in word and it looks much better.

orly? Show!

I don't actually have a copy of word, and they don't use word in college either, so .doc is going to be a bit problematic since I'd be relying on openoffice to save things correctly.

Eoin

If you're applying through agencies, they sometimes like to replace your contact details with their logo, so the company can't contact you without going through them. Also, the HR department in the company may want to copy from your CV and paste into a template they use for interviewing. Many PDFs don't allow for this, so a word doc or RTF file is the way to go.

By the way, check out the "Contempory Resume" wizard that comes with MS Office, I've been using that template for a few years, and have always gotten very good feedback on it's appearance.

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

netwhizkid

How does this latex work and is it compatible with Ink jet printers, my printer has only ever used Ordinary a4 and photo paper. Would the latex be okay with the rollers I wonder?? Looks pretty good.

BuffyBot

Does someone else want to break the bad news...

Agent Smith

netwhizkid wrote:

How does this latex work and is it compatible with Ink jet printers, my printer has only ever used Ordinary a4 and photo paper. Would the latex be okay with the rollers I wonder?? Looks pretty good.

you sir....



Are an Idiot.


here, rtfm

Huggles

Civilian_Target wrote:

orly? Show!

I don't actually have a copy of word, and they don't use word in college either, so .doc is going to be a bit problematic since I'd be relying on openoffice to save things correctly.

Yeah I am going to post my CV on an internet forum :rolleyes:

GoneShootin

agent smiths head

(o.o)

netwizkids sarcasm in action

<

---

(o.o)

agent smith wrote:

you sir....



Are an Idiot.


here, rtfm

TempestSabre

Most places specify a format they'll accept, doc, pdf. After that no one will care how its created.

Tobias Greeshman

GoneShootin wrote:

agent smiths head

(o.o)

netwizkids sarcasm in action

<

---

(o.o)

Not so sure that it was in fact sarcasm.

On a more serious note (and this has been echoed above), I done this before with my cv, created it in Latex in Linux and exported it to pdf. Was rightly happy with it, and then every job site that I went to wanted a .doc copy of it. So while it looks nice, its not much use unless you're handing out a hard copy of it to employers.

nesf

Why would you go to the trouble of using LaTeX to create your CV when, as pointed out, it's a .doc world we live in? It's far superior if you need to format anything tricky or complicated, but it's a bit of overkill for a text CV imho. As in, it shows that you can use it, but is it really any better than mentioning it in the "skills section"?

TempestSabre

Most places want a doc with no tables or fancy formatting.

Depends on the CV. A job that depends on your personality and social skills demands a different CV than one for a purely technical role.

leeroybrown

I always send a PDF unless explicitly requested.

I could do one up in LaTeX fairly quickly if I wanted but I have a very cleanly formatted OpenOffice.org document that can be easily updated and exported to whatever format I require. As I pointed out above, if I were applying for a job where I knew that the reader was a LaTeX user I'd do one up but otherwise it's not worth the hassle.

Civilian_Target

So I did my CV up in Latex and printed it. It's an improvement but it's not quite there! So I'm going to keep my Word Document but I'm going to rip a substantial amount of the Latex-style formating because it does look better.

limey_tank

My CV is in LaTeX. It's certainly eye catching and it's obvious it wasn't done in Word. It's also a lot less hassle than Word, when changing things around the formatting never gets messed up.

However, some recruitment companies have rung me back saying "We don't know what to do with the CV you sent us, it won't open."

So I generate HTML (or RTF) with LaTeX and word imports those fine.

So I now use the recruitment companies with staff that can operate Acrobat, which is zero so far (not that it does any good because they don't know how to "market" me, but don't get me started...)

Civilian_Target

Thats interesting Limey. I take it you use a different template from the one I just showed. Have you got a template you can show? Alternatively, can you PM me a link to your CV so I can have a goosey?

Vokes

I submitted my cv via email as a word doc.

But prefered to use a LaTeX / pdf version for paper copies at graduate recruitment fairs last year - as was said before, they're definitely eye catching.

parsi

God this brings back memories - when Mrs Parsi was doing her Masters I typed up a lot of her thesis in Tex.. ah for the good old days of /infty and 4mb ram...

Civilian_Target

Well - opted not to do a Latex one at all - instead went for a creating a contemporary homegrown format in OOO that I really like.

Here's my result of breaking the rules - going to check it with a few people but I like it (personal details have been edited, hopefully!)