Help With CV

getsome

I have not been getting many calls for interview, after changing my CV layout so many times, I am not sure what I am lacking.

Could you please tell me what you think, or if there is something missing from my CV.

I am not looking for a specific type of work, just a full time job.

Thanks

Hi Mate

I've been fairly lucky recently getting interviews and offers. I think you have good content in your cv but it's a bit long-winded. If you're not looking for a graduate position then I'd put employment before education. I'd combine relevant and other work experience into one category: Employment. I've taken your details and just given you another way of laying them out, that's a bit clearer and less waffly. Remember they don't care about the business, they just care what you did for the business.

Employment

Sales Assistant
XXXX Retail, Newbridge, Co. Kildare
Sep 2012 - Current

Job role and responsibilities:
Providing friendly and professional customer service
Till operations and cash handling
Merchandising
Replenishment and recovery of sales floor
Key holder responsible for opening and closing of store

For education mention your qualification as the main header rather than the college

Education

Bachelor of Business in Management (Hons)
Carlow Institute of Technology, Co. Carlow
Sep 2009 - May 2013
2.2 Honours Degree

I'd combine key skills and interests and achievements into one category: Skills and Achievements and I'd include driving license details there rather than in your contact details, but only if it's essential to the job.

A good tip is changing the wording to suit the job advertisement, for every application. Your skills headings should match up with what is in the description e.g. teamwork, problem-solving. Another example is the job requires someone with cashier experience, change till operations to cashier.
Bullet points rather than paragraphs.

getsome

Thanks shmoke,

Just out of interest do you have result from leaving cert or college in your cv?

Ray Palmer

The general modern cv follows the following:

1) Profile
2) Experience
3) Education


If you insist on interests and hobbies the general suggestion is only mention clubs and organisations. Achievements like ran a race and voted best improved player on a football team are pretty redundant. I get it is an early career CV but it just looks like filler and irrelevant to employment.

It is a very wordy CV which you should remove and make into bullet points. People will not spend time reading the cv they want to glance at it and get an idea of what you have been doing. Clear and concise is the way a cv should be and is much better than having too much information.

getsome

getsome wrote: »

Thanks shmoke,

Just out of interest do you have result from leaving cert or college in your cv?

I have but depending on the job I wouldn't go into subject details. If it's a grad position give details if it's not just give what qualification you were awarded and when you were attending. It just lets them know what you've been up to.

getsome

You both mention bullet points, what parts will i put in bullet points the headings or the information in each heading?

Mrs OBumble

Bullet points are for the information, not the headings.

Put your work expereince first, education second.

In the PLC qualification - what did you get your 5 distinctions in? I know it says on the line above what you were doing - but is it the same? Ideally put all this one two lines, a skim reader won't bother.

And never, ever say you were the "most improved" at anything ... 'cos think about it: how bad must you have been at the start! (Sorry if this sounds harsh, but it's how lots of people interpret that phrase.)

Bepolite

It's not normally the CV it's usually the covering letter and way you've targeted the employer. I frequently despair at people who say I've sent out X CVs this week and got no replies. Ensure you research the business and tailor your CV and covering letter to that business clearly stating what you can offer.

If possible drop CVs in, in person as well as any other channel. Even if you only get as far a reception make sure you are suited an booted and do everything you can to ensure the receptionist passes on a positive comment about you.

My background was sales management until recently. It astounded me the number of people that hadn't a clue about selling themselves!

SHANAbert

I would put your DOB or age on it.

A cover letter might help in that you can elaborate a bit about yourself.

My personal attack was always to meet the hiring person and physically hand them the CV. Ask them if there is anything at all available that you are mad to work. It's a mini interview on the spot.

I went into a large hardware shop one day and asked for the hiring manager. The guy I was talking told me not to bother asking that they didn't need anyone. I lost my cool a bit and swore "How ****** hard is it to get some work!?"

Turned out he was the hiring manager and was so surprised at how much I wanted it that he gave me a day a week which turned into fulltime after 1 week..

Ray Palmer

SHANAbert wrote: »

I would put your DOB or age on it.

I completely disagree. Age should never be considered in a role so should not be included. They shouldn't ask your age either. In this case it is easy to have an idea of age anyway.

Wile E. Coyote

Bepolite wrote: »

Ensure you research the business and tailor your CV and covering letter to that business clearly stating what you can offer.

This, it's nice to have a nice CV template prepared but you shouldn't be sending the same CV to each potential employer. Check the job spec and tailor your CV around exactly what they're looking for.

I would re-arrange the CV in the following order - Personal Details, Key Skills, Work Experience and Education. Personally I wouldn't include the interests and achievments unless they relate directly to the position you are applying for. If I'm getting 20-30 CV's the last thing I'm going to be looking at is your football career. The loyalty card and Fetac lvl 4 achievements can be included under the relevant work experience.

SHANAbert

Ray Palmer wrote: »

I completely disagree. Age should never be considered in a role so should not be included. They shouldn't ask your age either. In this case it is easy to have an idea of age anyway.

Age matters whether you like it or not.

getsome

SHANAbert wrote: »

Age matters whether you like it or not.

I know they say it shouldn't matter, but funnily enough, since i used this cv I have got no responses back, my previous one had my DOB on it and I was getting interviews not many but some.

SHANAbert

It shouldn't matter but it does.

Consider an employer with 100s of CVs, they need any excuse to disregard candidates. They don't want to waste their time interviewing people who are too young/old to fit with the dynamic of existing staff therefore they will cull all those with no age.

Ray Palmer

SHANAbert wrote: »

It shouldn't matter but it does.

Consider an employer with 100s of CVs, they need any excuse to disregard candidates. They don't want to waste their time interviewing people who are too young/old to fit with the dynamic of existing staff therefore they will cull all those with no age.

Sure why not throw in sex, sexuality , religion etc...

I don't know what dynamics you are talking about.

I have reviewed many CV and I have never heard any mention or suggestion to exclude CV based on age or lack of age on the CV.

Have you actually seen this or is it what you think happens?

SHANAbert

@Ray

I have seen a stack of 400+ CVs whittled down to a more manageable 100.

Coloured paper - gone
Spelling mistakes - gone
Bad grammar - gone
No honours Maths - gone
No honours English - gone
Interests include drama, singing, acting - gone

Once the CVs are culled then they are gone over with a fine tooth comb.

I agree with your point that employers should only be influenced by the content of the CV but that is simply not reality.


As for age dynamic; clothes shop employing 18 - 30yr old women gets an application from a 55 yr old man. etc.

Ray Palmer

SHANAbert wrote: »

@Ray

I have seen a stack of 400+ CVs whittled down to a more manageable 100.

Coloured paper - gone
Spelling mistakes - gone
Bad grammar - gone
No honours Maths - gone
No honours English - gone
Interests include drama, singing, acting - gone

Once the CVs are culled then they are gone over with a fine tooth comb.

I agree with your point that employers should only be influenced by the content of the CV but that is simply not reality.


As for age dynamic; clothes shop employing 18 - 30yr old women gets an application from a 55 yr old man. etc.

Yeah I have done that to CVs myself but not close to discriminating by age.

That isn't age dynamic you described that is just out and out discrimination.

If a HR was ever seen throwing out CV for selection based on age they know they could get reamed by their own company, staff and legal team. HR would also be well aware they couldn't do this. It doesn't seem you have actually ever seen this happen so it is speculation which I would take with a massive pinch of salt.

Age discrimination happens but no reputable business with proper procedures would do what you are suggesting. A manager in a retail store could easily do it but is that what the OP is sending their CV in for?

The only time I've ever put DOB on a CV was when I was 16 to let them know I was legally able to work. I think it would look really immature to include it on a CV.

getsome

Ray Palmer wrote: »

Age discrimination happens but no reputable business with proper procedures would do what you are suggesting. A manager in a retail store could easily do it but is that what the OP is sending their CV in for?

Well I'm looking for full time work, hopefully in large professional company, I already work in retail. I just read that DOB was not needed in a CV so I left it out,

SHANAbert

The OP said they weren't fussy what the job was so I assumed it was unskilled work in shops or something like that.

I used my DOB on my CVs in September last year. I was looking for a graduate position so didn't see any negative in including my age. Why hide it?

Mrs OBumble

getsome wrote: »

Well I'm looking for full time work, hopefully in large professional company

Doing what?

From your CV, I assumed that you were looking for more work in the retail industry, because it gave me no clues that you were looking for anything else!

Yes, I saw that you have a business degree. But you're not an accountant or an info-systems person, or I'm sure you would have said. What are you able to do, exactly?


Oh - and one last thing: formatting. Underlining is for typewriters. Use bold, larger sizes, indenting etc. Never ever underline.

Ray Palmer

SHANAbert wrote: »

The OP said they weren't fussy what the job was so I assumed it was unskilled work in shops or something like that.

I used my DOB on my CVs in September last year. I was looking for a graduate position so didn't see any negative in including my age. Why hide it?

Because it looks childish and is irrelevant. The irrelevance and your inclusion suggest you are unaware it is one of the grounds of discrimination.


So to be clear your claim it is used by employers is just your theory?

SHANAbert

Ray Palmer wrote: »

Because it looks childish and is irrelevant. The irrelevance and your inclusion suggest you are unaware it is one of the grounds of discrimination.


So to be clear your claim it is used by employers is just your theory?

You cannot say that 100% of employers are immune to age discrimination. Not every company has separate HR and Legal departments.

You are saying that by putting a DOB up one is opening themselves up to age discrimination?

My CV does not have my DOB in pink comic sans it is not in any way childish. I choose to put my DOB on my CV just like I choose what educational and work experience details to include and omit.

Ray Palmer

SHANAbert wrote: »

You cannot say that 100% of employers are immune to age discrimination. Not every company has separate HR and Legal departments.

You are saying that by putting a DOB up one is opening themselves up to age discrimination?

My CV does not have my DOB in pink comic sans it is not in any way childish. I choose to put my DOB on my CV just like I choose what educational and work experience details to include and omit.

I am telling you how it looks from person who reviews CVs, with training on how to evaluate CVs.

I am saying companies don't ask or want this information due to discrimination legislation. I can say 100% that companies do age discriminate in this country but do you want to work for them? If they don't follow that legislation what other things are they going to be lax on?

Somebody with a lot of experience is giving you advice ignore it if you somehow know better.

getsome

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Doing what?

From your CV, I assumed that you were looking for more work in the retail industry, because it gave me no clues that you were looking for anything else!

Yes, I saw that you have a business degree. But you're not an accountant or an info-systems person, or I'm sure you would have said. What are you able to do, exactly?


Oh - and one last thing: formatting. Underlining is for typewriters. Use bold, larger sizes, indenting etc. Never ever underline.

Thanks for the advice on the underlining, I am straight out of college so I don't have any relevant experience for any position other than retail, so how would I move away from it? I would personally be interested in purchasing, kinda do it for myself buying and selling clothes

Meathlass

Why not get back in touch with IT Carlow's graduate support? Contact the student's union for details.

OP you don't say what you are interested in but I presume since you have a Business degree that you'd like to do something with this rather than working in a low-skilled retail position.

April O Neill

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

And never, ever say you were the "most improved" at anything ... 'cos think about it: how bad must you have been at the start! (Sorry if this sounds harsh, but it's how lots of people interpret that phrase.)

So true! One of my college profs gave out informal prizes at the end of the final year at a drinks reception after our results came out. I got the "Most Improved" prize. I was delighted as I got a great result after suffering from a long-term illness. But I would never, ever put it anywhere near my CV for the reason you state!

April O Neill

SHANAbert wrote: »

I would put your DOB or age on it.

Not a requirement at all these days. Even on online application forms, it's never a mandatory field.

SHANAbert

April O Neill wrote: »

Not a requirement at all these days. Even on online application forms, it's never a mandatory field.

Well aware it's not a mandatory requirement. That would be discrimination.

The OP asked for opinions and I include mine. Worked for me anyway.

April O Neill

SHANAbert wrote: »

Well aware it's not a mandatory requirement. That would be discrimination.

The OP asked for opinions and I include mine. Worked for me anyway.

How do you mean it worked for you? Like if it hadn't been on CVs you wouldn't have got interviews/jobs? Specious reasoning right there!

SHANAbert

April O Neill wrote: »

How do you mean it worked for you? Like if it hadn't been on CVs you wouldn't have got interviews/jobs? Specious reasoning right there!

You can't say it didn't work for me. And like i said all I voiced was an OPINION.

April O Neill

SHANAbert wrote: »

You can't say it didn't work for me.

Indeed I can't. I don't think you can either.

SHANAbert

April O Neill wrote: »

Indeed I can't. I don't think you can either.

I don't think my dob got me interviews or prevented me getting interviews. Tbh before this thread I never contemplated that an employer would be bothered that I include my dob.

getsome

Thanks for all the advice I have dropped the most imporved from my achievements, I was apart of a very good team but i cant explain that on the cv, any how thanks to help from shmoke I managed to secure an interview already for monday ! So happy