Help With CV

monument

(Monty please move this if it’s not the best place for it, I think I can remember reading something about CV cover notes before in After Hours.)

Ladies and Gents,
For the first time, if not the just the first time in a long time, I need some help from you Boards people.

Let’s just say I haven’t two much experience in writing CVs, I have written a grand total of one before and I need to write one before Friday

I won’t say the name of the company I’m trying to get a job with but I will say it’s a technology news site (yes there is more then one) as a sub editor. It's a job I would love to do and more importantly, I should be able to do the job as it is described on the newspaper advert.

The info I currently have is from one or two career guidance books that I have laying around and of course the net (yes I will be googling soon). Therefore, what I’m looking for is any links to sites about CVs, any thing about cover notes (which I remember seen on boards before) or any help on CVs.

Thanks in Adavnce

Cian

DeadBankClerk

Originally posted by monument
I haven’t two much experience in writing

no shit

My cv is up on the web here for readings.

monument

Originally posted by DeadBankClerk
no shit

My cv is up on the web here for readings.

The "Goals" part is a new one for me.

(BTW are you taken the piss out of my writing skillz or is it just the amount of CVs I have writen?)

Sposs

This is Prob better off under "Work"

Borzoi

In fact there's a number of sticky threads with the classified>work forum that deal with this.

Helpful they are:)

GuanYin

At the risk of having others disagree with me, I'll give my take on what I look for in CV's

1. Do not use generic CV's.
CV's should be made relevent to the position at hand. Find relevence in your work experience to the job you are applying (ie. phone experience for a customer service job etc etc) and draw attention to those areas.

2. If its a technical job, Work Experience First!.
Most people applying for a technical job will have a similar education in that area, often it is work experience that set them apart.
Generally I would advise in order:Personal info, Experience, Education, Skills & Achievements (or portfolio), Interests, references.

And remember chronology. Always list the more recent things first.

3. Unless you are a school leaver, don't go into detail on LC
Its sufficient to list the school, year and subjects/grades.
eg.
Leaving Certificate 1995
Some school:
Arabic (H) A1, Skateboarding (O) B1, Knife Throwing (H) C2 etc etc

where H=Honours, O=Ordinary and F=foundation
Oh and omit any failed subjects!

Similarly, list relevent modules from your college course, but the final qualification grade will do, don't give individual test scores.

4. Try write in the 3rd person.

Avoid sentances like "I was the captain of the college toboganing team that won the intervarsities cup"

in favour of
"Captain of the intervarsity cup winning toboganing team"

5. Include 3 references.
one from each of education and work experience and a thrid of your choice. Include full contact details (remember to ask your referees).

6. 2 Pages Max.

If you are over 2 pages you are including irrelevent information.
(Ie. if you have a masters in telecommunications, you can safely assume you don't need much detail on your LC or to list individual degree modules)

You can cheat and list your address and contact details on a coverpage for your CV. Leaving stuff like your DOB, nationality, drivers licence details etc for "personal information".

Makaveli

Originally posted by monument

I haven’t two much experience in writing

Originally posted by DeadBankClerk

no shit

Originally posted by monument

(BTW are you taken the piss out of my writing skillz or is it just the amount of CVs I have writen?)

GoneShootin

hot link action

GoneShootin

:edit for above

http://www.michaelrea.com/Michael_Rea_CV.doc

Flukey

As has been said already, keep it to a maximum of 2 pages. Keep it brief and to the point. Points not Paragraphs! You can often get the exact same message across with half the words that you first think of. Remember it is your CV, not your life story.

The CV is designed to get your potential employer interested. Give them enough information to do that, but no more. If they want to know more they will call you and it is during the interview that you can go into details. If your CV says too much, it will reduce what you can say in an interview.

Keep the CV consistent in style. They are not just looking at what is in the CV, but how it is presented. You may have wonderful qualifications, but if you produce a sloppy CV that will not be a good advert yourself, especially if it is for a job that needs a lot of precision and attention to detail, as most IT jobs do. Use the same fonts and font sizes for the same types of headings and likewise for any sub-headings you use. Use the same indentations or tabs into the same positions for the details. Proofread your CV carefully and give it to someone else who has a good eye for detail as they may spot something that you won't.

Avoid any fancy stuff or colourful fonts and the like. If you are going for an artistic type of job, that kind of stuff would be in a portfolio you have, not the CV itself. Don't bullsh|t but don't undersell yourself. Keep to the facts. Don't make any value judgements about yourself. Just say what you did: "A scout leader for 3 years" and not "The best scout leader ever for 3 years."