CV Question

Right Turn Clyde

Hi. I worked as a decorator for a number of years and obviously I need to include this information on my CV. I worked for three different employers over an 8 year period.

For my first employer I was doing decorating work, but not in a formal-training type of way. I began and completed my apprenticeship with my second employer, and I worked as a qualified decorator with my third employer. So the latter two are the most significant. So can I leave out the first employer, or is it better to show some sort of career progression? I'm just trying to avoid repetition. Also, I'm applying for a Jobbridge with a legal firm, so I don't want a full page of stuff about decorating. I want to focus more on my law degree. I guess I just want to show that I've picked up plenty of transferrable skills that will help me in this new working environment.

Finally, my third employer was a bit of a dodgy character. He also never worked alongside us and only turned up on pay-day. So I had no relationship with him. Some of the other workers made my job impossible and I eventually quit. So I didn't leave in healthy circumstances. And due to his cocaine and alcohol habits, I'm not sure my employer would even remember me. So asking him for a reference is something I'd rather avoid. Is it going to look bad if I don't include my most recent employer as a reference. Or could I write references available on request and not use him if asked?

Eoin

So can I leave out the first employer, or is it better to show some sort of career progression?

Unless you're stuck for space, I'd leave it in; progression is good, even if it's not relevant to the current job. You can just have one line describing your duties.

Or could I write references available on request and not use him if asked?

You should write that anyway as a matter of course; so you can control when someone checks your references.

Are there any other of your co-workers who could give a reference? Preferably someone senior to you at the time. Doesn't have to be the main boss. How long were you with the 3rd company?

Right Turn Clyde

Eoin wrote: »

Unless you're stuck for space, I'd leave it in; progression is good, even if it's not relevant to the current job. You can just have one line describing your duties.

Okay so. Less-skilled workers are often called painter's 'hands' or assistants, and I guess that's what I was, technically. So my progression would be assistant > apprentice > qualified. That does sound like it's worth putting down in fairness.

Eoin wrote: »

Are there any other of your co-workers who could give a reference? Preferably someone senior to you at the time. Doesn't have to be the main boss. How long were you with the 3rd company?

There's only one co-worker that I could approach, but he's also my best friend! He wasn't senior to me either.

It's difficult to describe the type of working environment it was. I was treated like crap because I wasn't from Cork and because I had no interest in GAA. Unbelievable, but true. I was bullied, basically. I produced the best work, but received the harshest treatment. I was the only qualified painter, yet the worst painter's that I ever encountered were being paid 30% more because they were from the same village as the boss (you can tell I have a chip on my shoulder over it!).

Anyway, my most recent work was as a self-employed painter. I done some repeat work for some professional people in my local area, all of them quite respected individuals. Could I possibly use those as references, or would they carry less weight than actual employers? I suppose they would.

Thanks for you help. I've spent 15 years working or studying yet I've never written out a CV before.

Right Turn Clyde

One final question.

I notice that on most CVs each job title is followed by a few lines about what that job entailed, and what skills were learned, etc. I'm worried that if I do that I'll be repeating myself, or leaving some jobs looking threadbare, because all of my four jobs (including self-employment) are all painting & decorating.

Would it be better to neatly list the different job titles (apprentice, etc.) and the companies that I worked for, and then in the following section list out the key competencies that I developed during those periods? Or is the more traditional approach the best? Describe each job as building on the last, and try to tie it all back to what the your prospective employer is looking for?

The very final question. :P

As part of my apprenticeship I spent 20 weeks in the FÁS Training Centre in Cork, and 20 weeks in DIT. Is this something I should mention if/when writing about my time as an apprentice. Or am I over-flogging it a bit? I'm just concerned about the amount of references to painting and decorating. It's as if I've gone so far in one direction that I'm not suitable for anything else.

Eoin

I'm coming from this from an IT background, so I might not be giving the right answers for you, but here are my thoughts either way.

Right Turn Clyde wrote: »

Anyway, my most recent work was as a self-employed painter. I done some repeat work for some professional people in my local area, all of them quite respected individuals. Could I possibly use those as references, or would they carry less weight than actual employers? I suppose they would.

Might be no harm to have them on standby - the work is not directly related to your new career direction, so I think any reference you're going to get from either a customer or an employer is more of a character reference than an experience / industry skills based one.

Right Turn Clyde wrote: »

One final question.

I notice that on most CVs each job title is followed by a few lines about what that job entailed, and what skills were learned, etc. I'm worried that if I do that I'll be repeating myself, or leaving some jobs looking threadbare, because all of my four jobs (including self-employment) are all painting & decorating.

Would it be better to neatly list the different job titles (apprentice, etc.) and the companies that I worked for, and then in the following section list out the key competencies that I developed during those periods? Or is the more traditional approach the best? Describe each job as building on the last, and try to tie it all back to what the your prospective employer is looking for?

The further back you go in your CV, the less you need to put down. So for the first one, it would probably be OK to just list the job title and length of service. Unless there are specific skills you would want to list that are not covered in the other roles, then that should be fine.

If you want to show progression and don't want to repeat yourself, just try and spread the skills around so it gives the impression that you continued to develop.

Right Turn Clyde wrote: »

The very final question. :P

As part of my apprenticeship I spent 20 weeks in the FÁS Training Centre in Cork, and 20 weeks in DIT. Is this something I should mention if/when writing about my time as an apprentice. Or am I over-flogging it a bit? I'm just concerned about the amount of references to painting and decorating. It's as if I've gone so far in one direction that I'm not suitable for anything else.

Did you complete the course? If so, definitely put it down. Don't sell yourself short.

Right Turn Clyde

Eoin wrote: »

I'm coming from this from an IT background, so I might not be giving the right answers for you, but here are my thoughts either way.



Might be no harm to have them on standby - the work is not directly related to your new career direction, so I think any reference you're going to get from either a customer or an employer is more of a character reference than an experience / industry skills based one.



The further back you go in your CV, the less you need to put down. So for the first one, it would probably be OK to just list the job title and length of service. Unless there are specific skills you would want to list that are not covered in the other roles, then that should be fine.

If you want to show progression and don't want to repeat yourself, just try and spread the skills around so it gives the impression that you continued to develop.



Did you complete the course? If so, definitely put it down. Don't sell yourself short.

Yeah I completed it. It was all part of the National Craft Certificate (FETAC Level 6). It's what tradesmen call their 'papers', if you've ever heard that expression.

Listen, thanks for you help. I really appreciate it!