Is my CV layed out ok?

arleitiss

Hey, someone who's good at CV's can you look at tell me if this is ok for a CV?



Thanks

Zaph

Hi OP, I've removed the CV you posted as there was too much personal information visible. In addition to the parts you've blotted out, I suggest you also blot out your name, date of birth and e-mail address before posting it again. This is all information that you really shouldn't post on a public forum as it makes things like identity theft easier, or even simply enables someone to send you malicious e-mails.

arleitiss

Zaph wrote: »

Hi OP, I've removed the CV you posted as there was too much personal information visible. In addition to the parts you've blotted out, I suggest you also blot out your name, date of birth and e-mail address before posting it again. This is all information that you really shouldn't post on a public forum as it makes things like identity theft easier, or even simply enables someone to send you malicious e-mails.

There edited it. And thanks for security measures didn't know about them

mikemac

Looks good to me

the-jojo-axiom

You should have at least two references actually ON the CV. An employer is not going to bother themselves contacting you to get the contact info for references. They'll just bin it and find someone else who can provide references on their CV.

Layout otherwise is fine....there's just a good few grammatical and phrasing errors.

Also...spacing before brackets.

Saganist

Jojo pointed out he references but also, I'd add that...

If you failed a subject it shouldn't be on your CV in my opinion. Take the F's off.

the-jojo-axiom

Saganist wrote: »

Jojo pointed out he references but also, I'd add that...

If you failed a subject it shouldn't be on your CV in my opinion. Take the F's off.

I didn't want to say it myself, but I'd agree. Not a good impression.

Also, maybe don't say '2 weeks' in your work experience...maybe put in the month, or months if the weeks straddled two months.

Saganist

the-jojo-axiom wrote: »

I didn't want to say it myself, but I'd agree. Not a good impression.

Also, maybe don't say '2 weeks' in your work experience...maybe put in the month, or months if the weeks straddled two months.

He should just say April 2010.

The passing theory test B from first try ? Huh ?

arleitiss

Saganist wrote: »

He should just say April 2010.

The passing theory test B from first try ? Huh ?

well it;s not a big deal but for me it was an achievement

btw what if my references are only from school? is that ok?

sdanseo

Nicely done zaph, a rookie mistake OP :P

Having refined my CV more times than I care to remember in just 6 years of having one, I have to say that's not half bad - bud I'd echo the idea of taking out the fail grades - they don't exactly instill confidence. No need for them to be there, you're not lying about them by not including them.

I have my driving licence on my CV under achievements too - employers love to see that the prospective employee can get to work under his or her own steam and not fall foul of buses, trains etc being late or cancelled.

The only other thing I'd change is having all the grades - I had them on when starting out working as you are; but edited down to just the points total shortly after. Only 330 and got my three jobs to date.

overhead

Not to be offensive but your leaving Cert results won't impress, and anyhow I don't even think they are relevant in the first place. If you feel the need to have them put your top results first..

arleitiss

Fixed few things:

Re-formulated theory test so easier to understand hopefully.
Taken out fail grades.
Added references, not important ones but still references.

sdanseo

arleitiss wrote: »

Fixed few things:

Re-formulated theory test so easier to understand hopefully.
Taken out fail grades.
Added references, not important ones but still references.

Just noticed the last achievement.

Should be adapting rather than adopting.

arleitiss

alright gonna fix that.

starlit

Hiya OP,

I have had a quick look at your CV to be honest I would get rid of your junior cert results they aren't as relevant now that you are in college. Maybe just leave in the Leaving Cert results until you finish college. Its your college results that will matter more now when looking for work.

I suggest to get rid of all the tables/boxes. Takes up too much space. I suggest to present the results as a list or in sentence like Russian (H) A2, English (O) C2 etc. You can add what ever your result is for your LCVP as Merit or Pass what ever you got there for it.

Layout needs to be snappy but logical and easy to read and concise.

Could you add a brief profile at the start of it after you give your personal details? Just to show what you have achieved and like to achieve or show what kind of career goal you have in mind. Its all about impressing the reader and getting their attention.

I'd separate hobbies & interests and achievements. List them separately. Say Achievements:
Fluent....
Passed Driver Theory Test (say no more here, less information is more)
Use short words here no more than 10-13 words.

Hobbies and Interests:
Write as a sentence not necessary in a list. Short and sweet. Good use of words.

Add a Skills section here, some of the stuff you put in your hobbies/interests you could add here too and list them down or list them in a sentence.
Since you are completing a computing degree it be very wise to add in programming languages or any kind of IT/computing related stuff you are skilled in that you have learnt on your course to mention here in this section.

What you have in the CV is ok but I don't think you have enough information on it and layout is only ok, its presentable but to be honest you should have a bit more detail but with less words if possible.

I know you are only in college and wouldn't have much work experience but I'd add a bit of detail on the bit of work experience there like your duties and what you learnt from it and if you did any special tasks or projects. Its that sort of thing employers be interested in and ask you questions on in an interview.

To me you haven't enough information on your CV for me if I were to interview you from an employer's perspective or even hire you. You need more bulk and detail but as I said less words to grab the reader's attention.

Grammar is only ok, try and spruce that up a bit.

I'd mention any projects you are doing under your education/college section.
Not enough information there. Also, when you finish first year and so on, mention your final grade as in 2:1 etc for each year and then when you finish your final year you can add on your awarded grade with your name qualification and scrap the other years once you have your final grade sometimes they might request your final year results!

You'll bulk up your CV as you go along each year you be amazed how it will fill up once you finish your course. Hopefully if you can get some part time work or summer work be very beneficial even voluntary work!! Look great on a CV!

I'd be happy enough with you adding just 'referees on request' unless employers request it on an application form or online application would I add the details of referees. I think those details shouldn't be shown to everyone you send a CV too unless they ask for it before applying for a job or its in the job spec. My suggestion is wait until they ask you for it after you applied for the job or say at interview or after interview stage. They will only ask it if they think you be in with a chance of being hired. They won't hire someone if they themselves don't ask for references.


Layout wise this is how I'd do it

Full name as a heading

Personal details

Profile

Education/College* (college before secondary school as its most recent education)

Work Experience* I'd normally switch these two as I have finished college and work experience is more important but since you are still in college go this way

Skills

Achievements

Hobbies and Interests

Referees (up to you if you wish to stick with available on request or just add in your referees, wise to have one teacher/principle/lecturer/head and or employer as a ref.

Good look OP

starlit

For your leaving just mention the year your did it and leave out junior cert not relevant!

Name the school
Leaving Cert 2011 (then mention results in the list form)

Phibsboro

First off, not to be a grammar nazi, but as a non native speaker I'm sure you would like to know - it is "laid out" not "layed out".


You CV is fine but it could be better. Many of these have been mentioned but just to summarise my take on it :-

1. If you have the balls, start with a profile - just two or three sentences that sums up what you have done and what you hope to do. My last CV had this...

A professional and adaptable self-starter with strong technical, analytical and interpersonal skills. Big 5 consulting background with extensive programming and systems implementation experience and a proven track record of preparing and delivering training in a corporate environment.

This was specifically tailored for a job that had a large training element to it, you can vary the profile for each specific job.

2. You would usually work backwards in time in a CV. When you have so little work experience, you might start with your education but it should definitely work backwards, starting with your college. Once you are in college, you can definitely drop your junior results (maybe say x honours but leave it at that), and tbh there is no real need for your detailed leaving results. The employer shouldn't have to wade through your detailed school results before he finds out (on page 2!) that you are in college

3. For any technical jobs, list the packages/tools you have used (i.e. whatever you used to do the websites, 3D modelling etc.). If you have actually done any websites you should mention them, or maybe do your own website with a portfolio on it and link to that.

4. As has been stated, references available on request is fine, at your level they probably wouldn't be taken up anyways.

5. If you have had any experience at any stage of dealing with cash or have ever been a keyholder then put that in - this is the kind of thing most retail jobs will be looking for.

And good luck with your job search

arleitiss

How about now?
Changed few things, and I can't really write profile since I am not sure what I am specialized fully at yet. I am only in year 1 in college, and I can't put Java programming as skill fully just yet since I am just learning it while xhtml, css and php I learned just by myself.



and yeah I think referees available on request is the best way.

peanuthead

How do I attach a paint image?

Want to show the OP my CV but just blurred out the necessaries in paint

Edit: Just attached instead.

OP Have a look at that - it was a template I got from net somewhere

LilMsss

I've been teaching students how to do CVs for several years and there are a number of things I would change on your CV, mainly the structure, as some of the other posters have pointed out. A large amount of the impact your CV makes is based on the presentation, and then of course content is equally important.

The second version of your CV is better but I would still make some changes to it. I have templates done out in Word format that I use with my students.

Arleitiss PM me and I can send you a template that you can just add your details to. I'd be happy to look over it once you have updated your information.

Phibsboro

That version is much better One last thing I would do is to swap the skills and qualities section with the hobbies and interests section - again you want to try and get as much relevant stuff onto the first page.

Finally, do consider reducing your leaving results down to x honours, x passes. Don't mention higher/lower. The way it works is that each education level is a step to the next level - once you got into college the actual leaving results don't really matter (unless you are applying to switch courses or something). This works all the way up - once I got my Masters, my primary degrees were reduced to one line on my CV - all that work for one line

Overall, I like the feeling I get off your CV and I would definitely interview you for an entry level temp job. Remember to keep your CV up to date as you get more experience (including any voluntary work and college project work). Also remember to re-focus your CV if you are targeting a particular job you really want - change around the skills and hobbies sections to use some buzz words related to that job.

Good luck

starlit

This website might be useful:

myhorizon

A few examples of CV templates with profile:

sample1

sample2

sample3

Maybe look up a few online and see how they compare with the profile for college students in particular. Your profile won't be as detailed as someone who has finished college or someone looking for work or has work experience behind them. A few lines be enough. Just mention strengths, what you have achieved and what your future career goal is, just outlining your objectives really! Good Luck Op!

Phibsboro

doovdela wrote: »

This website might be useful:

myhorizon

A few examples of CV templates with profile:

sample1

sample2

sample3

Maybe look up a few online and see how they compare with the profile for college students in particular. Your profile won't be as detailed as someone who has finished college or someone looking for work or has work experience behind them. A few lines be enough. Just mention strengths, what you have achieved and what your future career goal is, just outlining your objectives really! Good Luck Op!

Oh they are nice, might be revisiting those next time I change jobs

Eoin

the-jojo-axiom wrote: »

You should have at least two references actually ON the CV. An employer is not going to bother themselves contacting you to get the contact info for references. They'll just bin it and find someone else who can provide references on their CV..

I would generally consider this to be poor advice, but I'm not sure what the story is when they're more character than profesional references. That's certainly not a rule to go by above though, I always recommend the opposte.

I'd be inclined to reverse the order of your academic results, the same as you would normally do with work experience - the more recent ones are usually more relevant.

I don't like the table for your work experience; I'd use a more normal layout.

Don't think there's a need for the CURRICULUM VITAE on its own at the top in such a big font. Maybe make it smaller and add your name. e.g. Curriculum Vitae - John Doe.

If you have access to MS Word, then have a look at some of their templates. They have some really nice resume templates that are simple, but look good.