Sending a CV...

[Marky]

Hey all,

I’ve been interested in moving on from the industry I work in for a little while, and I’ve finally got my arse in gear and created my CV!

It’s been ages since I’ve applied for new positions, so I hoped I could get some advice here...

The problem I have is I’ve been at the same company, twice before, and all my relevant experience has been at this company. As I understand it, you’re not meant to name the company you’re currently employed at, so you can avoid them finding out?

My employment history goes:
- Current Job: Company 1
- Company 3
- Company 2
- Company 1

So I started as an apprentice with Company 1 and then went to Canada and worked for two other companies, then when I returned to the UK, I was offered a job back at my old place and that’s where I am now.

So my question is, what do put in place of “Company 1”? Just “Current Job”?

Thanks,

Marky

 

[Throrik]

I've never heard of blanking the company you're working at out on a CV. I don't think there's any benefit or any real risk by not doing so, in fact if it's a very well recognized company it can be a benefit to have it visible.

 

[Flaevius]

Employer details are on my CV and, as mentioned ^, depending who you work for it can benefit you. I'd see no need to hide it, and in the position of the recruiter I'd be curious if any of my prospective candidates chose to do so.

 

[HangTime]

As I understand it, you’re not meant to name the company you’re currently employed at, so you can avoid them finding out?

No. I would find that quite odd. When you say 'them' do you mean your current employer stumbling across your CV on a job board or whatever, or do you mean whomever you send your CV to? The latter needs to know (and will ask you if it isn't stated), the former I don't think it matters as internal recruiters will doubtless be used to seeing such things and not bat an eyelid.

 

[Marky]

I've never heard of blanking the company you're working at out on a CV. I don't think there's any benefit or any real risk by not doing so, in fact if it's a very well recognized company it can be a benefit to have it visible.

Employer details are on my CV and, as mentioned ^, depending who you work for it can benefit you. I'd see no need to hide it, and in the position of the recruiter I'd be curious if any of my prospective candidates chose to do so.

No. I would find that quite odd. When you say 'them' do you mean your current employer stumbling across your CV on a job board or whatever, or do you mean whomever you send your CV to? The latter needs to know (and will ask you if it isn't stated), the former I don't think it matters as internal recruiters will doubtless be used to seeing such things and not bat an eyelid.

Thanks a lot for your replies I will keep it on my CV.

The reason I've asked is that I receive CV's through to my company email all the time, and they always leave out the current company name - I guess I just assumed that was standard

 

[skyripper]

Thanks a lot for your replies I will keep it on my CV.

The reason I've asked is that I receive CV's through to my company email all the time, and they always leave out the current company name - I guess I just assumed that was standard

Recruiters do that to stop you (potential client) contacting the candidate directly at their current employer and thereby chopping the recruiter out of the (commision) loop.

Its not normal practice when submitting a CV when YOU are looking for work to not include it.

 

[Marky]

Recruiters do that to stop you (potential client) contacting the candidate directly at their current employer and thereby chopping the recruiter out of the (commision) loop.

Its not normal practice when submitting a CV when YOU are looking for work to not include it.

Ah gotcha! That makes total sense Thank you

 

[NickK]

Recruiters do that to stop you (potential client) contacting the candidate directly at their current employer and thereby chopping the recruiter out of the (commision) loop.

Its not normal practice when submitting a CV when YOU are looking for work to not include it.

However it's also potentially risky for a couple of reasons;
* the previous company may be in competition and the applicant may fall foul of contract.
* the previous company may, for financial companies, result in a higher risk rating - requiring additional vetting. (depends on the level of role)

The top one can easily be solved - when the application is considered, often a social media check is done - this includes Linkedin which shows your current company..

Both of the above may result in a non-hire but waste or loose candidates that could be hired instead - very selfish/negligent of the agent and just another reason why companies don't like using recruitment agencies.

 

[kurosagi01]

How I would structure it is you would put the Company name and the dates between when you started and finished and then a brief explanation of the company and your involvement.
So it would go:
Company 1 (2017-onwards)
Explanation

Company 2 (2015-2017)
Explanation

Company 1(2010-2015)
Explanation

 

[BennyC]

I used this format last week, with a brief narrative to explain & attribute the progression/promotion before detailing achievements, duties & responsibilities. Dates were generalised to months & years to & from if not easily identified where roles & titles had evolved.

Wasn't queried at all during interview and was easily understood.

Company 2
Position 3
Dates

Position 2
Dates

Position 1
Dates

Company 1
Position 1
Dates

 

[dowie]

However it's also potentially risky for a couple of reasons;
* the previous company may be in competition and the applicant may fall foul of contract.

That happens all the time, it isn’t really a reason to not include your current company - if anything that is generally one of the reasons they’re interested in the candidate in the first place, because they have relevant experience at a vendor they use or at a rival firm that does the same thing rather than being from some random company and requiring babysitting for the first 6 months.

Sorry if the below is teaching someone to suck eggs - tis more general commentary thoughts for the thread than necessarily a direct reply to you:

Obviously you do need to stop a stupid recruiter from sending your cv to your own firm but most recruiters seem to get in contact when they have a specific vacancy to fill so that generally isn't an issue and frankly it is a risk if you didn't include your current firm too (in fact with some recruiters it would be a higher risk as they've not picked up on the fact you work there because it isn't on the CV.)

Generally if you're going for a move to a rival or a client then there is a chance people will find out, people talk... the recruiters are generally good with this stuff, it is the hiring managers who can leak info inadvertently. For example if they're hiring someone from a vendor or a rival then they might ask someone else who used to work at that vendor about the particular person... that someone could be another employee at their firm or might be at another firm. Sometimes, they might even ask someone they know at your current firm itself! Which sounds a bit ridiculous but the idea being that the person they ask unofficially is someone they can trust.

All of this of course means someone might well talk about it in a bar, on a Friday night... and someone who is asked in confidence might tell someone else in confidence and so on... until the candidates manager themselves gets told in confidence.

One amusing thing that did happen at a place I worked at related to interview scheduling - my mate went for an interview at a bank, while he was waiting to go in the HR rep exited the room with his current manager! It can be a small world sometimes when a specific skill is being sought.

Anyway it is only when you make the move that the non-compete potentially comes out... and that is something plenty of people have to work. Can involve taking a break, or disputing that it is valid or getting permission for the move if a long serving employee or indeed getting the other company to buy you out.

 

[NickK]

A mate once had this - the main thing is under law you can’t be financially driven into bankruptcy and that was how it was defeated.

 

[dowie]

A mate once had this - the main thing is under law you can’t be financially driven into bankruptcy and that was how it was defeated.

Yikes, that is a bit extreme!

The validity of the non-compete can sometimes be challenged, like if it is unnecessarily long relative to the role* the person held or applies to too large a geographical area. Also needs to be re-signed with promotions - for example a non-compete that was signed as a junior employee which would be considered too long for someone in that role can also end up being invalid for that person in a senior role too, unless they signed a new one upon promotion.

It also has to be rather specific to certain roles - there has to be a legit business interest too, if the person is taking up an unrelated role at a client or rival then that shouldn't necessarily be something that can be enforced. And certainly they can't ban the former employee from simply practicing his/her trade at another unconnected firm.

There is an additional issue with clients sometimes, they might have signed a non-poaching agreement, sometimes the hiring managers are unaware of this too - I've heard of this affecting contractors in particular, they turn up and within a couple of days the former employer finds out, legal get on the phone and the contractor has to be let go.