Hello, it’s time to update my CV and I’ve realised that it’s getting a bit long and unwieldy because I’m a contractor and have done lots of things. What are the rules of thumb these days?

I’m in tech/digital, and have 20 years experience – okay to aim for three pages and only into detail for the past five years? Previously tried a skills based CV, but the tickbox recruiters hated it, so back to chronological job based CV, even though it kind of compounds the problem…

TIA

Sounds about right – don’t get lengthy as folk won’t read them. Specify the ‘big’ stuff you’ve done.  Keep the older stuff brief. 2-3 sides go very fast with line spacing.

Keep away from agents and tailor CV for the job, keep the experience to those of relevance and that you’d like to talk about in an interview, and keep detail to a minimum and leave the rest for the chat.

Though last few jobs have been via contacts and it’s been more a talk on the phone about a project they need help with, this is the stuff I know, can I come in for a chat, and I take the CV along or forward it up front. So CV hasn’t been so much about getting a foot in the door. While I do still list skills I try to keep it to a short summary list of the key ones.

Agents though I find in my work (software dev), skills are what they rely on and couldn’t give a crap about the waffle you write. They rewrite it all anyway to suit them. So many times I’ve had to present my real CV at the interview and they’ve been shocked at the difference and even realised the agent has been barefaced lying.

p.s. Three is a bit long. I’ve known people who filter CVs based on length and a three page plus may end up in the bottom of the pile. I’ve done some CV reading to add my opinion about candidates and I’m bored after the first page. First should tell them all they need to know to get you in. The rest is fluff to chat about if they’re struggling.

No-one is going to read the third page.

And covering letter if applying direct blind to a job, but nothing fancy. For contracts they’re probably only interested in, can you do the job and when can you start.

If you’re on social media, check what’s public and check LinkedIn profile matches CV. People do look at the stuff. I list more stuff on LinkedIn that would be on a CV but it’s very brief stuff. It’s not my CV, just a list of jobs. For contracts I’ve tailored it to be I’m working for My Company and here are the projects I’ve worked out.