FabSwingers.com forum: CV writer

By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

Can anyone help? Leaving a job after 23 1/2 years and looking for a new job. I have writen my CV but don't think its writen very well. Does anyone know of a firm or person who can write CV's to a high standard?

Any advice would be great thanks

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Can anyone help? Leaving a job after 23 1/2 years and looking for a new job. I have writen my CV but don't think its writen very well. Does anyone know of a firm or person who can write CV's to a high standard?

Any advice would be great thanks"

Don't pay anyone to write your CV for you. Look on the web for good free examples (dayjob dotcom has quite a few) then put one together and get some sound friends to review it for you.

Good luck!

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *andKCouple
over a year ago

Norfolk

Any advice would be great thanks"

I have been to three different companies to get my c.v. looked at everyone has their own ideas even down to critisising other professional c.v. writting companies I have decided to use my original draft but adapt it for each job I apply for - of course if you really want I will do you a special offer and charge you £100 to write it for you

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *isscheekychopsWoman
over a year ago

The land of grey peas and bacon

I can write CV's I have been told I have an excellent CV

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *andKCouple
over a year ago

Norfolk

"I can write CV's I have been told I have an excellent CV

We think you have an excellent c.v. too

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *isscheekychopsWoman
over a year ago

The land of grey peas and bacon

"I can write CV's I have been told I have an excellent CV

We think you have an excellent c.v. too

xx"

Wooo hoooo

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

My CV covers three pages: 1 for personal details, and the other 2 for the jobs I've held, and still people say it's 1 page too long.

OpenOffice have some good templates and that's what I've used.

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"I can write CV's I have been told I have an excellent CV

We think you have an excellent c.v. too

xx"

I agree. I'd definately have a few things for you to do!

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *urreyfun2008Man
over a year ago

East Grinstead

No idea what your field of work is, but will say this, as someone who has just had to get a CV down after 14.5 years in the same job, and no notice redundancy.

Writing it yourself is important, as then you know all the detail, and avoids silly moments during the interview. Also if at a level where you will be expected to produce your own documents it can showcase your document writing skills.

What you really need is someone to proof read, and question you on the CV.

Also worth having a few versions of the CV, so you can adjust according to the skills you want to emphasis for a particular job.

Also talk to job agencies, for specialised work they can be good. How good agencies are varies a lot, but you do get a feel for them, e.g. some are bad at email/phone returns.

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Tra worked for a company a few years back who might receive 200 CV's for an advertised job. HR would delete every 3rd one before even thinking about looking at em

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *isscheekychopsWoman
over a year ago

The land of grey peas and bacon

"I can write CV's I have been told I have an excellent CV

We think you have an excellent c.v. too

I agree. I'd definately have a few things for you to do!

Oh I am pleased to accept the post of lollipop licker

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *andKCouple
over a year ago

Norfolk

"I can write CV's I have been told I have an excellent CV

We think you have an excellent c.v. too

I agree. I'd definately have a few things for you to do!

Oh I am pleased to accept the post of lollipop licker

mmmmmm thats good to know cos I am known as Mr lollipop

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *isscheekychopsWoman
over a year ago

The land of grey peas and bacon

"I can write CV's I have been told I have an excellent CV

We think you have an excellent c.v. too

I agree. I'd definately have a few things for you to do!

Oh I am pleased to accept the post of lollipop licker

mmmmmm thats good to know cos I am known as Mr lollipop

You are funny....

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I disagree that it's a waste of paying someone, you really get what you pay for. It's just like advertising. a good as man can really get results.

Personally I miss the old hand written application letter. You get a much better feel what the persons about. I think CV's are devised by lazy HR departments, who often use the most obtuse methods to decide who's ideal for the job.

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

In the news today there was a report on how some people are sending a lottery ticket or a box of chocs with their CV in a bid to get noticed.

I'd be mightily fucked off if I didn't get the job but the bugger went on to win the jackpot!

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

Thanks everyone for the advice on CV writing and on the other things too.

Might have another go at writing one and ask if anyone on here would proof read it for me

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *els_BellsWoman
over a year ago

with the moon n stars somewhere in gtr manc

Could try Monster jobs. Think they help with cv's.

Good luck!

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *ornyHorwichCpl aka HHCCouple
over a year ago

horwich

I would say don't write an essay on your jobs prior to your last as you have been there for a long time. They don't need to know ins and out of the job you had whilst at college. Have a personal section but keep it brief and to a paragraph or 2.

For your last job do not just bullet point what your job was, you want to sell your skills not the job brief. Detail your key achievements providing examples but again donlt write an essay, you can expand further at the interview.

Last but not least check spacing, grammar and spelling, spelling and spelling........ Did I mention spelling

Good luck in your search.

Scarlett

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I see 100s of CVs a week.

There are a lot of job sites with templates.

DON'T write your DOB on your CV and I wouldn't include your references either, put "references available on request.

Begin with your contact details and then I'd have a section marked "profile" and write about yourself eg I am a hard working, reliable and mature individual, blah blah

Then go onto your employment history most recent first, start with the date, your job title and the name of the company, followed by a brief outline of your duties.

I wouldn't go on to much about hobbies and interests for this reason, someone I work with HATES dogs so people who put " spending time with my dog" gets a big no from her.

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *he_original_poloWoman
over a year ago

a Primark shoebox in Leicester

Office has a template and so do a number of other none Micrsoft word type thingys.

Online recruitment sites have CV guides and builders.... Reed had a good one if I remember right.

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Any advice would be great thanks

Don't pay anyone to write your CV for you. Look on the web for good free examples (dayjob dotcom has quite a few) then put one together and get some sound friends to review it for you.

Good luck!

I completely disagree. There are a number of profesional CV writers, many of them who consult while working in HR or in management roles. The know exactly what they want to see on a CV and will write a winning CV for you. My parents kindly paid one to do my CV and I have had agencies falling over themselves to get me work and it's been at a higher rate of pay that I was on before the recession started.

Failing that, use the Agencies for what they are. Phone them up, talk them through what you can do and what you want to do. Get the name of the agent and their email address at the start of the call and send your CV to them while you are talking to them. If they aren't available, call them back later (most agencies phone their clients in the morning to generate leads, then fit candidates to the jobs in the afternoon (from what they have all said to me) and most would prefer to speak on the phone than receive an email.

It's easy to dismiss an email, not so easy to dismiss a keen person on the phone.

As a counterpoint to my first point, more often than not the Agencies cut bits out of your CV and often do a pro forma one, but a good CV does get noticed and helps you to get your foot in the door.

Good luck with the job hunt, there are jobs out there....

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

[Removed by poster at 18/01/12 00:51:03]

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"I see 100s of CVs a week.

There are a lot of job sites with templates.

DON'T write your DOB on your CV and I wouldn't include your references either, put "references available on request.

Begin with your contact details and then I'd have a section marked "profile" and write about yourself eg I am a hard working, reliable and mature individual, blah blah

Then go onto your employment history most recent first, start with the date, your job title and the name of the company, followed by a brief outline of your duties.

I wouldn't go on to much about hobbies and interests for this reason, someone I work with HATES dogs so people who put " spending time with my dog" gets a big no from her."

Bifemlincs has some very good advice.

I have owned a recruitment agency for more than 20 years. I am not claiming a better insight than anyone else but here is my perspective for what it's worth. This mostly relates to private sector CVs.

Use classic fonts such as Ariel, Helvetica or Times New Roman. NEVER use Comic Sans or handwriting-style typefaces.

Use the title Curriculum Vitae, not CV

Emailing: If possible, produce and send a PDF version as well a Microsoft Word version, a PDF is better as preserving your CV's layout on other computers

Postal version: Cover letter can be hand-written or printed.

If you are sending a CV speculatively rather than replying to a job advert, I personally would advise you find out the name of the relevant department manager and send it to them. rather than sending to HR in the first instance. Others may disagree.

BIO

Don't call this section Bio!

Name, Address, telephone number, email address, driving licence,

Do not include date of birth, sex, religion, marital status or nationality because companies do not want to run the risk of being sued for discrimination if they reject your CV.

PROFILE

Call it Profile or Introduction

Probably the only issue I would disagree with Bifemlincs is the use of the phrase "hard-working" etc in the profile section. *Everyone* says they are hard-working and thrive on a challenge. No employer would want to see anything other than these things in an employee so they have become cliches.

Be a bit more specific about your particular strengths and don't be afraid to big yourself up; what sounds like a boast when you say it, actually just looks confident when on paper.

Make the profile more specific to your job search. In effect the profile acts as a covering letter

EMPLOYMENT

Call it Career Progression

An employer is buying your skills and experience, and especially the last few years of that experience so the bulk of your CV gives info on this with less detail as you work back in time.

Start with most recent role, employer and dates of employment (if you are still in a job put date started to Present) and work backwards. If you have had several roles in one company, list them as well.

List your main responsibilities in bullet-point format, and then list some achievements in bullet-points.

Use "proactive words" such as:

control

manage

negotiate

plan

achieve

minimise

maximise

effective

analyse

Avoid acronyms if there is a chance they are not easily understood by the HR person

Achievements can be easily quantifiable things such as "reduced overheads by 23%" but they can also be less quantifiable, e.g. "encouraged a greater team sprit" etc etc.

If you have been working for a more than a couple of decades it is perfectly fine to simply list your very early jobs/employers/dates without descriptions of duties and achievements.

QUALIFICATIONS

Start with professional qualifications then highest level academic details downwards.

If you have a degree, state the degree, grade, college and date attained. It is OK to just state how many A levels and O levels or equivalent, you do not need to name them.

If you finished at A, then name your A levels and grades, and how many O

If you finished at O, give the number you gained, e.g four, including Maths at grade B, two, including English at grade C.

HOBBIES

Call it Interests

Personally, I hardly pay any attention to this section but some HR bods think it's important. Again, avoid a cliched list and bear in mind Bifemlincs's advice.

People say a CV should be no more than 2 pages. I disagree. If everything on the CV is informative, interesting and not repetition it is OK to go to 3 pages

As an aside, In my experience the worst CV offenders are Italians and Yanks, the Italian versions are usually ridiculously brief and the US versions are so often full of business buzz-phrases that seem very impressive but actually tell you nothing.

Having spent time and effort on your CV be prepared for the employer to ask you to fill in an application form that asks for precisely the same information again!

Good luck

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Have a look at a website called monster dot CO dot UK they have loads of templates I'm sure you can use one of them.

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

Thanks everyone for all the very good advice. So glade I posted this now.

Big big big thatnks

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Spot on advice from flybynite from a HR person!

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Iv recently done my own cv, i looked at alot of cv builders online, the one i found the best and used was the one on .gov website, just go to the government website and search cv's.

Some great advise on there.

kat x x

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

ok thanks

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

Post new Message to Thread