blonde poker forum

If you were an employer, what would you expect from an applicants CV?

I am in the process of updating mine at the moment. 

thanks

Concise and to the point. Professional looking, but not OTT. Certainly I would expect it to be wordprocessed at the minimum. If you cant go to the effort of using free computers at the library and spending 10p for printing, then you are not worth employing.

3 pages at a maximum. If you are moving from one job to another after working for 5-6 years I do not expect to have to read details of how you were a 5-star employee at McDonalds on Saturdays during your summer break waiting for your GCSEs.

Similarly, I want to see the highest standard of education achieved and keep the rest really brief. Its best to get this information onto the first page, after your current position. Again, if you have been working for more than a couple of years, education is not the most important and should go at the back, after your job history. Outlining your key skills on the first page is paramount. Many people will not read your CV, they will simply scan it looking for buzz words that catch their eye. Certainly this is the case with many professional positions.

My own CV goes like this:

Name, contact information

Core skills (Eg. "Extensive use of C, C++ programming languages, Embedded operating systems, Mobile phones incluing propietory OS. Symbian Series 60 & UIQ. Web design, PHP & SQL,  & etc etc etc)

Personal statement (I am a hard working blah blah blah) KEEP IT BRIEF.

Present position

Brief work history

Education

Outside interests

References

Try doing a google search for "perfect cv".

In fact if you want to look at my CV, its prob online somewhere anyway...

and remember not to lie, even though 25% of all CVs contain whoppers accoriding to an article I read last week

Potential employers will also want any breaks from the employment market explained.

Thanks.   I am on the right path then.  It has been a while since I changed anything on it, so I will take this on board  :)up

Make sure your spelling and grammar are perfect (if you're not hot at this get someone to check it before you send it out anywhere)

Lay it out nicely in Word - don't spew out reams of condensed text. Use bullet points, tables with white borders (so they don't show on the page) and plenty of white space.

Don't just list what you did at previous jobs, list what good things you did. Think in terms of achievements, not responsibilities.

Get as much of the information that will get you an interview on the first page (ie no marital status, GCSE results, nationality, date of birth - this can go at the end, if needed)

Three pages at an absolute maximum.

Don't mention the mushrooms thing.

 ;goodvevil;

Always mention a criminal record, they will find you out if you dont.

Oh and Sark....

Or cacti

Or Thomas the Tank Engine

Or horses.

Not Too much anyway

25%!! That's a very conservative estimate, I'd reckon. Or are you not counting embellishing as lying?


That's an easy one - just say you supported yourself playing internet poker, developing key skills in logical thinking, risk evaluation, financial management and discipline. :)

Employers aren't usually concerned with any breaks from the employment market at the CV stage, that can be covered at interview stage (actually leaves you something to talk about...). It depends upon the market you are applying for. In the technology market, turnover is very high and certainly at this time, companies are always going bust and redundancies are commonplace. Make sure however that you can explain what you have been doing. If you have been away from the job market for a length of time, make sure you can show how you have kept your skills up to date.

It would help sark if you stated what type of career you have or what is your target job market.

All CVs contain whoppers. Dont do it however tempting. However feel free to exagerate the truth. Thats what these things are for, they are for making you look good.

I have a few breaks, but most of my previous work experience was cash in hand labouring type work. So it is impossible to write exactly what I have been doing.  Earlier today I had two telephone interviews, one for a bank and the other for a call centre. I did ok in those and they said after I send them my CV, they will arrange an interview.


lol,  no cacti or Thomas or Horses.  I may mention the Tweenies briefly though, I am an expert on the show

Good luck Sark

I should say I meant explain break in the interivew, not the CV

I'm currently involved in the recruitment side, so here's my tips:

1.  Two pages - maximum.  Anything more is waffle.

2.  Don't want to know about your hobbies or inside leg measurement, unless relevant to the job (can talk about these at the interview if important.

3.  Don't put references on the CV, but you can say that they are available on request (if you must).

4.  Don't include DOB, Nationality, Race, etc.  These things are not relevant, and you open yourself up to discrimination at the initial stage if you include them.

5.  No photo (unless it's a modelling job).

6.  Make the experience relevant.  Tailor your CV for each job you are applying for.  If you have worked somewhere that is very applicable to the job you are going for, focus on this area and maybe reduce the focus on less relevant bits.

7.  Print it out on nice paper.  If I get a CV on toilet paper, what does that make me think of you?  Yes, you will have probably emailed a copy to them (or via a recruitment consultant), but this might be a crap photocopy.  Take a nicely printed and up-to-date version in (take in 3 or more just to make sure everyone can have a copy) - this will reflect well on you.

8.  The CV gets you in the door (or shuts it in your face), give the recruiter a reason to want to see you, and not reasons to turn you away.

9.  The cover letter is just as important.  This needs to be very tailored and relevant.  Don't just re-hash what you've said in your CV - they don't want your life history in a cover letter.

10.  Spell check it.  Then check it again.  Then get someone else to check it.  Then check it again...

I put sales and customer service. I think this takes in a wide mix of jobs

I dont know if you have microsoft word or not, but there is a template available called 'professional resume'.

the layout is already done for you, you just have to click and change the various fields and add your own text.

That is the one I use, its plain, but it is to the point and looks the part.

Okay it looks like you are moving into a new sort of job then? List what sort of things that would be appropriate for those jobs. Long lists of what sort of things you did in your old jobs are not appropriate but listing what you where good at, what responsibilities you had would be good. Especially if it was any sort of management role.

Again, don't bother listing absenses from work - you can explain these at interview stage. Unless of course it was for something worth while mentioning, like "I went on a 6 month sabatical to do voluntary work with XYZ charity in Africa".

I am a dweeb, dweebs don't know about crime  :D


thanks Andrew.  I will definitely get someone to check my spelling as it is normally bad

Impressive CV mikky

Yep, I was kind of thrown off guard this morning when I called the bank.  I had been given a number to phone for an application form, instead of an application form she said we would do a 20 minute phone interview then and there.  I wasn't really prepared, but did the best I could at the time.

Thanks Weller, I will have a look at those

All Universitys have excellent career services that go through and create cv's for you. I kept mine from Uni and its best done me proud. The key it tailoring it to the specific job your going for.

I have had to hire many people, a couple of things I look out for;

1; Lay out and spelling of the CV is essental. if it doesn't look good or has errors..it's out.

2; make sure it catches the eye. if it doesn't it's in the anonymous pile (therefore list your strenghts that apply to the job your going for) I don't give a crap about bricklaying or poker skills when I am looking for a man-manager.
And make sure you know what they want in a person. Look at their web-site and all that.

3; Don't over do it with the lying. you will get caught out. everybody exagerates a bit and that's fine but for the love of God don't tell people you worked for a company when you haven't...(It's been tried on me)

4; chase me up. you are one of a hundred people applying for a job. Make sure you speak to me or one of my staff (preferably before applying). IOW Call HR of a company in advance so they can tell managers to look out for a certain CV. It will get you noticed...well more then otherwise.

5; whereever you can..do NOT use recruitment agencies. they charge a fee for submitting your CV to employers if you get the job.  If a company/team has a budget they will go for the cheaper option unless you really stand out (a % fee, depending on your wages will run into a couple of grand easily). If you can go direct go direct.

6; the old rule of no more then three pages per CV is good UNLESS you are looking for something in Program/ Project management TOwards senior management feel free to list every relevant job that you have done. (don't over do it but 5 pages is fine for a position like that IF your past justifies it)

Thats because it doesn't mention a criminal record.... ;goodvevil;

Seriously though, CVs are for making you look good. If you have a driving licence, you state it. If you don't then you don't mention it at all. You don't say "I have no driving licence" just as you wouldn't say "I don't have a Masters degree". If you are applying for a job which will require government/security clearance then do make sure you declare unspent convictions at the earliest opportunity to avoid embarassment of yourself and the potential employer. And if you are applying for those jobs which require higher clearance (exempt from the rehablitation of offenders act), make sure you declare ALL run ins with the authorities however trivial, down to the parking ticket level.

Having held a number of jobs requiring military security clearance I know that the employer will find out, it might take them 6-7 months, and you will start work before the clearance is granted, and once it is knocked back you could be in trouble. I've seen guys being marched off site with a P45 in hand sacked for gross misconduct, which doesn't look good in a future job interview!

I dropped out after 2nd year, I think I will leave my Uni time off it  :D.  Actually I was thinking of writing that due to financial circumstances, I could no longer continue at uni full time and instead I will complete my course through the OU. This is mostly true

excellent stuff

thanks for this.  I will take this on board

Not much I can add to that. Having hired a nuber of folks myself thats pretty much the gist of it. Sad but true, the pretty ones are the ones you read. But make sure it has some beef in it. Pretty is useless if its irrelevant.

If possible, tailor your CV for every company you submit it. Takes more work, but you will stand a chance of standing out (again, dont go overboard and dont lie!)

yeah..I forgot (whereas it's ussually the first bit of advice I give) adapt your CV to the post you are going for. I advocate having 3 different ones..outlining different strenghts

Thanks everyone for their help

Good luck Sark - I've only skimmed the thread, but Tantrum's advice looks spot on.

Thanks Claire

The best advice I acn give you sark is use the Monster.co.uk CV builder, they give you lots of great tips and they have you CV available for employers to contact and head hunt you.

You can also copy the CV to re-use it elsewhere for applications.

thanks .  I wiil look at that mate

Good Luck with the job hunting young Sark, sorry I've no advice, I never applied for a job. BTW your skills as a plumber may be useful  :)

Remember to put "Curriculum Vitae" across the top of the front page, large and bold text   


 ;)

lol. thanks

thanks Ant  :D

unless the agency has a kickback deal with the hiring manager. But I could never envisage that happening.....

 ;goodvevil;

;whistle; ;whistle;

actually I do know of this happening...and not just in football.

Some good advice already.  I have seen thousands of the bleeding things. Personally I think you can get it on 1 page a lot of the time, including plenty of white space.  Keep it relevant to the job, so "full driving licence" and "like going to parties" doesn't really cut it, unless you are applying to be a white van driver for a home party company I suppose....

When I am wading through a 6 inch pile of cv's, you have literally about 4 seconds each.  Make the first couple of things you are going to say the hardest hitting.  If I read on the first couple of lines that you have "delivered X benefit" or "made a massive difference" or have the "perfect skills set" - (don't write like that of course, but punchy lines like "saved the company $200k delivering new sandwich ordering system" is more likely to get me to read the rest of your cv.  If you start with 6 lines giving me the full postal address of your primary school headteacher then you are already floating down towards the bin....

Thanks for this thread. It will come in handy the next time I'm having trouble motivating myself to play poker my computer.

this is funny - many years ago whilst working freelance for a major motor manufacturers finance house, one of the programmers developed a system for us to order our lunch from a local deli, which would at 12pm print out the order list and the secretary could take it to the shop.

Only problem was, that the tables holding all the data were tacked onto the main oracle database instance. The auditors were utterly confused when they came across a bunch of tables with data such as "white chicken tikka baguette" and "wholemeal salami" contained in it...

but within weeks they were using it too..

What an interesting thread - ive never had to do a cv and if i ever have to at least I know what to write.
And Sark, Good luck on the job hunting.