Kindly scrutinise my CV!

PureAppleJuice

PureAppleJuice

PureAppleJuice

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Joined
18 Dec 2005
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1,449
Location
Londontown
Afternoon OCUK,

I thought I'd turn to you lovely people to land copious amounts of (constructive) criticism on my CV. This is essentially the first CV I have written hence my coming to ask for advice! I personally think that 3 pages might be too long considering my employment history but let me know what you think.

http://www.2shared.com/document/29xAY0Nm/CVOCUK.html

I assume that this link works. If not I shall upload it elsewhere.

Cheers.
 
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Had a quick glance at it. Firstly, I would remove all the "I". Make it in 3rd person as much as you can. In your personal profile you can bullet point all your qualities so the employer can quickly grasp the info. I'd also place "Skills" above extra curricular activities.

Other than that, it's OK. What are you applying for?
 
Ok, a few tips.

First of all, make it 1 page. Just 1, no more. 2 pages is rarely used and it's usually for PhDs or academics or other special cases.

Use bullet points, no one is going to read through that - guaranteed.

You have a lot of jobs that laste a few months - WHY? (you will get asked that, so you better have an answer - don't answer to me!)

The profile paragraph is too generic, target it to the role e.g. mention in the last sentence that you are looking for opportunities in the xxxxx field/industry .

activities that you are no longer doing should be tied/part of education/work exp.

hobbies: socialising? really? how about inhaling/exhaling. get my point? Don't put music, put piano-playing and dont put "keen interest in journalism" but do put "writing news commentaries"

Make everything shorter and MUCH MORE succint. You got about 30 seconds, that's the time someone is going to spend looking at your CV, if even that. They have to be able to get the information they need in that time just by scanning your cv quickly - for that reason use keywords like "leading, managing, engaging" whatever it is that is relevant to the req's of the job. You should put your skills under your work experience as something you did, e.g. when you say "crucial staff motivation etc" put it under a job as in "motivated staff to...."

That's it for now!
 
Nazca said:
Had a quick glance at it. Firstly, I would remove all the "I". Make it in 3rd person as much as you can....
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Everyone seems obsessed with using 3rd person...why? :confused:

It is YOUR CV. You are basically selling yourself. You're not asking your mum to write it for you. :confused:

Also, it looks like you have paid someone to write it for you.
 
SideWinder said:
Everyone seems obsessed with using 3rd person...why? :confused:
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It's so they remember your cv better, it places opinions in their head, when someone else asks about the interview the 3rd person stuff is already in their head.

e.g. copied from my CV but my role is a commercial role

Sidewinder is driven, independent and strong willed who enjoys a challenge. Direct, positive and straightforward in his approach, drives teams for results and closing deals.

Also "I am" seems as if it's your opinion whereas "Sidewinder is" seems like fact

I've had 4 interviews and been offered and accepted 4 roles with that technique
 
maccapacca said:
It's so they remember your cv better, it places opinions in their head, when someone else asks about the interview the 3rd person stuff is already in their head.

I've had 4 interviews and been offered and accepted 4 roles with that technique
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That makes a bit of sense but from all the job agencies (high street and industry specific), my CV hasn't caused any problems using my own technique. :)

Also, it is difficult to say whether you got the job because of your CV technique or the fact you actually had much better experience than the others who also applied for the job.
 
I don't get the third person thing either. I've always used first person.

also, 2 pages is fine. No need to squeeze everything on one page.
 
Oh and another vote for the 2 page thing. Mine is organised like so:

Page 1 = Personal profile, career history with the most recent at the top.
Page 2 = Key skills section and then finally my education.
 
SideWinder said:
Oh and another vote for the 2 page thing. Mine is organised like so:

Page 1 = Personal profile, career history with the most recent at the top.
Page 2 = Key skills section and then finally my education.
Click to expand...
I have skills immediately after profile incase they cba reading further.

Have you done the quarters trick?

Tear each page in half and see if you sell yourself fully in each quarter.
 
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