CV's

[DownFanatic]

Im just about to undertake my first proper CV. I have no idea where to start with it because I have heard many different things about their makeup.

Should a CV be short and to the point or should it be a long detailed account of my employment and academic history?

Is there certain should and should not's with CV's nowadays?

If anyone has a modern template for one could they send it my way? Any help would be much appreciated.

[ziggysego]

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/CT101043371033.aspx

[Tony Baloney]

You'll find all the guff you need online. I think it is extremely difficult to construct a generic cv as they could easily be tailored to suit the type of job you are after and the qualifications/experience you have. In my experience, keep them short (2 pages) and don't include a photo.

[tyrone girl]

We received one into work there last week, and it was tough reading. Excellent qualifications etc and theres no doubt this girl was a smart cookie but it was the most pretentious 5 pages i ever had to read.

I know cvs are surely about selling yourself but this just made this girl look extremely big headed and it was terrible.

[Gaoth Dobhair Abu]

defo no more then two pages, have also been told by friends in HR and personnal that including referees is a waste of time on the initial CV as if your successful then only then will they even bother with the refs.

Good luck anyway - wouldn't fancy going out into the job market atm.

[Sigerson]

We received one into work there last week, and it was tough reading. Excellent qualifications etc and theres no doubt this girl was a smart cookie but it was the most pretentious 5 pages i ever had to read.

I know cvs are surely about selling yourself but this just made this girl look extremely big headed and it was terrible.

What do you work as TG?

[tyrone girl]

Sorry not saying, prefer noone knowing who i am and could be outed too easily

[DownFanatic]

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/CT101043371033.aspx

You need Microsoft Word 2007 to get these templates working. Unfortunately I don't have it. Thanks for the link anyway.

I'll give the rest of the internet a browse and see what I come up with.

[Shamrock Shore]

The only thing important, in my opinion, (apart from the obvious) is

SPELLING

Make one error (or say it's when you mean its or except when you mean accept or there when you mean their) and into the bin it would go if it came onto the desk of Shamrock Shore.

[Billys Boots]

Spelling and basic grammar mistakes will get you into the Boots bin too.

I always read the accompanying letter first - it's much more important than the CV, for me anyway.

The more senior the position you're applying for, the shorter your CV should be too.  The last job I got (many moons ago, a Managing Director job), my CV was one page long.

[DownFanatic]

Spelling and basic grammar mistakes will get you into the Boots bin too.

I always read the accompanying letter first - it's much more important than the CV, for me anyway.

The more senior the position you're applying for, the shorter your CV should be too.  The last job I got (many moons ago, a Managing Director job), my CV was one page long.

What is the purpose of an accompanying letter?

[FL/MAYO]

I was doing interviews last week, one of the applicants gave a reason for leaving his last job as not  having enough time to run his errands, needless to say when pressed on this he bombed.My point is be careful of what you but on your CV, make sure you can back it up if pressed to so.

[rrhf]

In terms of the all important gender divide,  male bosses will tend to employ comely maidens before ugly goats with brains.  Qualifications can often be in the eye of the beholder.   Female bosses tend to employ ugly weemin for less competition - hard to know who is right.   

[Declan]

Spelling and basic grammar mistakes will get you into the Boots bin too.

A bug bear of mine also. CVs are more important as a record of previous work to get you in the door for the interview.

[Billys Boots]

Spelling and basic grammar mistakes will get you into the Boots bin too.

I always read the accompanying letter first - it's much more important than the CV, for me anyway.

The more senior the position you're applying for, the shorter your CV should be too.  The last job I got (many moons ago, a Managing Director job), my CV was one page long.

What is the purpose of an accompanying letter?

It explains who you are, why you are applying for the job and why you think you are a (or the most) suitable person for the position.