Looking at getting my CV freshened up for 2017. No surprise I work in IT 🙂 LinkedIn shows some great looking graphic based CVs, bit like Sky Cycling! These are probably not appropriate for sales, but do want something more modern. Any advice or links to good templates to get me started. Thanks.

There’s no need for CVs to be gimmicky, in fact they’ll probably put people off (unless you’re working in an area where gimmicks are seen as cool, like UX design).

Anywhere big and CV will elbe vetted by the witches of eastwick in hr. Get the point across and do it in the interview (says a bloke who’s not used a CV for 10 years)

No idea, but I’m 90% certain most companies screen them with software, some don’t even attempt to hide this fact (and the fact that it’s rubbish) by asking you to submit one, then on the next step using it to badly auto populate a form which turns your nicely formatted CV with bullet points into a gargled mess.

That and automated rejection e-mails that arrive by return server ping.

Spoon, redundant since July and bitter about the whole process.

2 pages and no BS.

Unless you are 16 then employers don’t care about your GCSE results.

They don’t care if you ride a mountain bike either.

Just get the key info across, work experience and professional qualifications that are appropriate for the position applied for.

They don’t care if you ride a mountain bike either.

Some do. If you are applying to be part of a team then being a good fit is as important as skills and knowledge. Its a gamble but I think its well worth putting hobbies just need to be careful how you phrase it.

They don’t care if you ride a mountain bike either.

maybe not, but having interests beyond “Watching TV” (which someone did put on a CV I got) shows a more rounded life, which probably makes you a bit more able to deal with the unexpected.
I interview for jobs. We will interview 8 people for any job and will receive between 150-200 applications per vacancy and I have to read them all. So, i need to look at them, scan them, pick out the main bits of information and decide which pile you go in. If I can’t do that quickly, you’ve made the decision for me, so I’d avoid fancy layouts or pictures. 2- 3 pages means keep it brief – hobbies and interests are useful but not a 3 page description of your last big dh adventure. Sometimes an Additional Information section can be useful – things you did in your last job(s) that you’re particularly proud of or are relevant to this position. This means I can read it if I like or skip it because the main section was written in crayon/written on what looks like Izal medicated toilet paper/mentions STW 1 too many times

They don’t care if you ride a mountain bike either.

3rd quote! – I think part of the reason I got my current job was because we had a chat about cycling in the interview! So yeah brief mention of “hobbies & interests” is worth it.

Make sure to use a nice, readable font (arial); any employment history over 10 years ago, just summarise. School quals, for example, name school and “6 GCSE equivalent, including Maths, English & Science”.

I dun a careers advice thing, where CV advice was a major part of it and I got a job pretty soon afterwards.

I’d like to think my CV is ok (nothing mind blowing, but gets the job done), my biggest problem is cover letters. I have absolutely no idea where to start or what to say and up getting frustrated.

I’ve just started only applying for jobs that don’t need cover letters…

There are at least a dozen “resume” templates in MS word.

The last time I re-did mine, I picked one of the more modern looking ones, but still kept it to the basics.

i have just been through a bunch of CV’s and i must admit i did shortlist those who have cycling, swimming, triathlons.. my reason being i want like minded* people in my team, that said it could equally work for the opposite..many people hate cyclists so i would avoid putting cycling and say Triathlon, Enduro, MTB ..ect

also i hate gimmick CV’s but make it stand out with a header line and a good weight of paper, (always send a hard copy in a cardboard A4 envelope as well as an email if possible) it says you understand quality and i assume you have actually applied for the job rather than it just being one of many.

*my auto correct tried to change this to simpleminded 😕

My predecessor also taught me to throw away half the CV’s without reading them as no one wants to employ an unlucky person. 😆

(nothing mind blowing, but gets the job done)

they’re the ones that make it through my first scan.

covering letter

Dear Sir re vanacy advertised in Massive Mammaries Monthly (useful to know where the best candidates are seeing the ads), please find enclosed my CV in application for this position.

that would do me. Amother paragraph or 2 if you can be arsed have something really important to say.

3rd quote! – I think part of the reason I got my current job was because we had a chat about cycling in the interview! So yeah brief mention of “hobbies & interests” is worth it.

I didn’t suggest that wouldn’t come up at interview. Doesn’t need to be on a CV.
Would you give someone a job because they rode a bike? Do you really think that’s why you got the job.

my reason being i want like minded* people in my team,

Just because someone rides a bike doesn’t mean they would be like minded. Look at this place.

Besides, when building a team, if all you employ is a load of “mini me’s” then you are going to have problems.

All in all, I will change what I wrote to:

If putting your hobbies and interests makes the document longer than 2 pages, then leave it out.

The covering letter (in my opinion) should pick out a few points from your CV that are especially relevant to the job, and explain in a bit more detail.
In the CV, these will just be single bullet points, but in the letter you can explain why you think they give you the skill/experience to do the job.

Whatever you do, write it in MS Word with no ‘crazy’ tables and the like and send it as a MS Word document (not .pdf etc).

Covering letters are ALWAYS helpful.

This CV impressed me

I’d like to think my CV is ok (nothing mind blowing, but gets the job done), my biggest problem is cover letters. I have absolutely no idea where to start or what to say and up getting frustrated.

I’ve just got pissed off writing them and never getting a response so I’m quite militant about them.

4 paragraphs

1 – I’d like to apply for the job, seen in XYZ, attached are CV and application form and anything else relevant.

2 – I’d be good at this job because (drawing attention to how you fill the “key requirements” section of the advert”

3 – I want this job because (career, location, colleague reviews)

4 – Thank you and see you soon

It’s difficult because I naturally want to write a whole paragraph addressing each of their requirements, but no one is going to read more than half a side of A4. So a brief statement to say you’ve done XYZ before, example, and move on. Just shows you read the advert and not just spamming recruiters.

This CV impressed me

Cool, although for an design job there’s a lot of banners that overlap covering each others text, so if I was sent that I’d probably say no!

Good points, although late 40’s up against the young and hungry, look at some of these https://piktochart.com/blog/well-designed-resume-examples-inspiration/
yes I know most are irrelevant unless in design etc… but you need to stand out. 6 seconds is all you have to catch the eye.

cat69uk – Member
Looking at getting my CV freshened up for 2017. No surprise I work in IT

What’s your background and what are you looking for?

@bensales IT reseller, disti land, mainly storage, acquisition currently going through so planning ahead should things not go smoothly. Hence dug out my CV and thought is looked a bit jaded.

When I am reviewing CV’s, I look for quantifiable achievements, so “implemented a contract worth £xm” as opposed to “proven track record of implementing large scale projects”. “Large” in one company can be pocket change in another. Also, make sure achievements are directly attributable to you, i.e. “I delivered a new online system…”.

Make sure there aren’t any obvious gaps in your CV timeline, but if there are, make sure you fill them with something meaningful. One of our recently departed directors are work started volunteering almost straight away in the same line of work (supporting ex-offenders) to keep his CV continuous.