Perfect CV?

[ange1_face]

Just wondering if nyone can help?

Im thinking of changing/updating my cv, currently its over 4 pages - with school, college, work experience and work history! The college section does go in to abit of detal as does the work? Im just wanting to know how many pages would be best - I couldnt squish it on to one - that would be silly! Also should I have hobbies on there and shold my work history be recent to last or last to recent? What do employers look for?

 

Thanx x 

[twiglet4frog]

how many jobs in the work history? sometimes too many shows that u are dont stick around long at any place and might not with future employees. Just have a few important ones and drop the short term and irrelavent ones then fudge the dates to cover the gaps a little.

Also with education, just have the places u attended and the years u attended with the best grades u achieved, again, i tend to drop one or two of my most dodgy grades cos very few employers care if u got a f in home economics whereas they do notice if u got A's in english or maths or something.

[twiglet4frog]

oh and most recent should be at the top of employment and education lists, as they will care more about what u did lately that what u did umpteen years ago in a fast food place. As for hobbies, well maybe a 3 to 5 lines brief account of what interests u have got but dont go too much for "i like films and tv and music and partying with my friends" Try to go for things u do like instead of gym, say u like doing aerobics and fitness training. The more original and different (without going overboard and lying) the hobbies are the more likely they may take an interest and ask u something on it. Seeing some say they enjoy entering competitions/crosswords instantly has the interviewer ask u if u have won very much and how many do u enter a week? whereas films music and parties says "boring" lets skip that section!!!

[acw]

• Tailor your CV for each application
• Never lie on your CV - it's a sackable offence (in the UK anyway)
• Two pages ABSOLUTE MAX!
• Personal details at the top
• Then education
• Then employment
• Then hobbies

Extra-curricular activities - well it depends how old you are.  CV content changes over time.  At 22 I still include extra-curricular stuff from school and Uni as I don't have any employment history apart from part time work.  As I get older that will get dropped. 

• As twiglet said - EVERYTHING should be most recent first.

Perhaps tell us roughly how old you are and we can give better advice.

If you're not from the UK our advice might be rubbish cos I have no idea what US/continental European employers look for - only what British HR depts like. 

:-)

[ange1_face]

Thanks both for your advice! I'm 21 and I do live in the UK....

I'm going to start the process of 'slimming' it down - could be difficult tho as for my work experience which i done when i was at school and college I've done quite alot - Worked & Studdied In spain, Represented my school in being one of the crew on a tall ship, and also worked with children with disabilities - I'd like to keep all that on it as i'm extremely proud of myself - he he!!! 

[Mistopheles]

acw is right - 2 pages max, unless you are applying for an extremely specialist job. If you are having problems limiting the work experience, you can always join some of the more minor jobs as so:
'1992 - 1996 - various waitressing jobs. Details available on request.'

[twiglet4frog]

much as u are proud of your different works, and so uu should be, they might not be that important to someone like a bank manager employing u. the tall ships would be good in the hobbies as it shows teamwork. the disabled kids can be a job u have done but dont overly highlight it unless it is a job tht involves this kind of work.

U need to sell yourself to your future employer by making it obvious the skils and experience u have that can help u in this new job better than other applicants. Some people may see that u have a lot of worldly experience and are a great person, but have missed out all the strong points that u might need in the job they are offering and might think u are better suited to other lines of work.

Tailor it to the job, but inside, be very proud of what u have done, and maybe tell them at an interview all your achievements as that will impress them. A CV finds out who is good enough and who isnt so make it simple and straight to the point how good enough u are to what they need u for

[Emily Ball]

acw is right . I worked in the management and graduate recruitment section of a large company for a few years and believe me, potential employers just do not have the time or inclination to wade through reams of info on an individual's c.v. , however interesting and commendable it may be. Confine it to no more than two pages, in the order she suggests. Make it clear, neat and concise. Make sure your spelling is faultless and your grammar above reproach. The same applies to application forms. The time to let an interviewer know how perfect you would be for the job is when you have been asked to attend an  interview based on their perusal of your brilliant application form and c.v.

[Sasha13]

Tailoring a CV to the job role is the most critical thing in my opinion (I recruit for a living). Don't forget, the only purpose of a CV is to get you an interview. Good luck!