BTEC's on a CV?

skippi90 said:
I got left way behind in my last two months of my IT BTEC ND due to illness and had to drop two units. Ended up with just the certificate. :(
Click to expand...

I know a few people that did that on my course (Although they were just lazy). But most of them are now doing some pretty good apprenticeships. One of them is doing CAD and im quite jelous asive always wanted to learn how to do it.
 
While this subject is still here. How would people go about putting no work experience on a CV? (Except a paper round, which I doubt will get included...)

At the moment I'm thinking it may be best to just not include a section for it, and then answer it in the interview if the situation arises? Problem is, putting that I have no work experience, I feel may make the employer think that I have had no drive to work in the past, and put across a negative image.
 
just my opinions on this of course...

Part time / casual jobs : They aren't looking for the smartest people (it doesn't matter), nor the most indepth of previous job history.

They typically just want somebody who might last more than a month or 2 before walking out. Try and stress that you are fully commited, but don't worry too much about what you have achieved, padding it out without substance will just get it binned pretty fast.

As for the gcse results, the thing is, it might come up at an interview but you can at least manage how it sounds then. A cv is about selling yourself, and posting some really poor results does nothing to enhance it, instead it just draws attention to the poor results.

I don't know how best you should reveal that news (on bad news, less is best!) but listing every subject is unnecessary anyway, if you want to do that, at least do it in a condensed fashion
 
Thanks again for the help people, I have finally put together a first draft for this. Please feel free to give me some constructive criticism. My main concern would maybe be my covering letter as it is the first one I have ever written :(

Covering letter:
Dear Sir/Madam,
My name is Shaun Cross and I am highly interested in working in one of you're retail outlets, I am a second year ICT student at Longley Park Sixth Form College, who is aiming to go onto a university education, and finally work in an ICT based job.
An employer would find me to be incredibly hard working, as I am always willing to put in extra work when required, or to take time out to help others when I can. On top of my willingness to put in extra work, I consider myself to have excellent communication ability, this is due to my well spoken nature, which many people have often commented on in the past.
As well as my ability to communicate well, I also have exceptional team working and organisational abilites, this comes from previous team experiences both in school, and out of school team-based activities
I am willing and able to work any evening during the week, or both day and evening during weekends or seasonal occasions such as Christmas, where extra staff would be required, all that restricts my working hours is my college timetable during weekdays.
Thank you very much for taking the time to look at my CV, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Regards,
Shaun Cross



CV itself:
Name: Shaun David Cross
Date of Birth: 14 February 1991
Nationality: British
Address: <deleted>

Sheffield

Telephone: <deleted>
Mobile: <deleted>
Email: <deleted>

Education
2007 – Present: Longley Park Sixth Form College
2002 – 2007: Yewlands School
GCSE Results: 1 C
4 D
2 E
2F

Subjects: English
Maths
ICT
Science
Media Studies
English
Design & Technology
Religious Studies

Current studies: BTEC National Diploma ICT (3 A level's)
GCSE English
GCSE Mathematics

Other qualifications: BTEC First Diploma ICT – Merit (4 GCSE's A*-C)
ECDL Level 2
OCR Cisco level 2 (IT Practitioners)
Adult Numeracy level 1
Adult Numeracy level 2
 
I tend to just put "GCSEs in science, English and maths" then put BTEC Nation Diploma in Computer Studies. I leave grades out of it. It's the experience that's important past your first serious job anyway.
 
put current education first (college). most cvs are in chronological order

I won't re-write it but I will change little bits

Covering letter:
Dear Sir/Madam,

My name is Shaun Cross and I am highly interested in working in one of your retail outlets

I am a second year ICT student at Longley Park Sixth Form College, aiming to go onto a university education, and finally work in an ICT based job.

I am extremely hard working; always willing to put in extra work when required, and to take time out to help others when I can. I also have excellent communication skills, this is due to my well spoken nature and many people commented on this in the past.

In addition to my hard work ethic I also have exceptional team working and organisational abilites, this comes from previous team experiences in and out of school team-based activities

I offer great flexibility in the working hours I can offer, including any weekday evenings, weekend days and evenings, and any seasonal occasions such as Christmas

Thank you for looking at my CV and considering me, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.
 
meem said:
p.s I agree with the above about condensing cvs (as already stated)
Click to expand...

Well at the moment it is merely two pages long, so it doesn't take a very large amount of time to read, it's something I thought about when planning it.

And thanks for the post about my covering letter, that's brilliant!
 
Most cvs are only 2 pages long anyway. It's ok to use a little padding (words, margins, breaks etc) to enhance the presentation, but should be avoided for the actual content.

Generally as you gain more experience, you either condense or remove the older stuff.

It took me over 11 years working to have sufficient content to go over 2 pages (and for it to actually be 'acceptable').

And np :)
 
Moredhel said:
I tend to just put "GCSEs in science, English and maths" then put BTEC Nation Diploma in Computer Studies. I leave grades out of it. It's the experience that's important past your first serious job anyway.
Click to expand...

Or 9 GCSE passes including English, Maths and Science.

I wouldn't leave it as it is. You won't need to explain it in an interview as you simply won't get one. The CV is an ad for you and you need to sell yourself.
 
inferno said:
Saying a BTEC etc is equivilant to A-levels/GCSEs is simply not true, they are far worse qualifications!
Click to expand...

And that statement is simply not true. I would state them as being the qualifications that they are and let the employer take that under advisement.
 
a BTEC is a different work ethos. you have to go and get the information and write it up if you want the high grades. whereas with a levels you are given it in forms of notes, worksheets etc..

btw i've done a BTEC National Diploma and have gone to do comp sci with it. so how is it worse?
 
ith a levels you are given it in forms of notes, worksheets etc..
Click to expand...

where did you take a levels? thats just not true.

Different work ethic defiantly, but A levels firstly arnt compulsory in anyones education so there still has to be drive to complete them.
 
i meant given the work you have to do in excersices so when you go into the exam you should know everything. they make it easier for you to do the exam. whereas in btec to achieve the higher grades you have to go and find that information out. all my friends at college did a levels and i saw how much handouts/excerises they were given, we were only given enough information to achieve the Pass grade (same an E at a level)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom