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Hey,
I'm applying for an IT job (nothing special but it is public sector) as a technician at a school. I used to go there and know the staff quite well, and being a 1 year contract will tide things over for me pretty nicely.
Unfortunately, my current CV is geared heavily towards the aviation industry and I've been forced to write a new one. Having never applied for this type of job before, I have no idea whether it's even along the right lines!
Is there anyone here that might be prepared to take a quick gander on it and offer some advice and criticism?
Much obliged!
Dave.
Umm, well I'd just say that for an IT CV, put some kind of statement at the top saying "I'm great", then a list of your skills, only after that list your jobs in reverse order as normal. At the start of each one list the skills you used in it bullet-point or list style, THEN go into waffle about how good you were.
Most IT recruitment is done quickly and most employers or agents just want to know what you can do, so your CV should let anyone see your skills immediately. They are the only thing that talk after all, followed by you being an all round nice but eager and committed bloke at interview.
Having said that, if it's at a school all that won't apply, cos they'll be used to appointing teachers instead of IT people - so I dunno 🙂
List your technical skills to accord with their requirements, but if you know people at the school, contact them immediately! A computer is still a computer whether it's in a school, or in an aviation company. They probably want someone who undertsands the public sector culture and how schools function. Or just want an exact experience match to the role they are offering. Can't blame them for that! Employers can afford to be fussy these days.
Agents will filter you out with word search software and probably won't have a clue about your key skills. Your carefully re-worded CV will probably never even get read and most agents won't give you the time of day. They have 1000's of people spamming them with CV's every day. My advice is to cut them out wherever possible and go direct. use your network of contacts to get interviews.
The key is getting to speak to a person in the school to secure an interview. The CV then becomes a backup to an application rather than a vital door opener.
Good luck!