CV reviews, advice and direction

This thread could really help me at the moment.

My CV is very out of date, and there is a job coming up where I'm working, Internal vacancy as a IT System Officer.

Everyone I've spoken to so far thinks I'll walk into the job, Including the person who I'd be replacing. Yet I'm feeling reluctant to apply. I've gotten used to working a position with no pressure or expectations. It's a strange feeling.

Anyway, I just need to get to the interview stage. I put myself forward extremely well when in a face to face. It's just on paper, where I need to improve.

Obviously 2am isnt the best time to start trying to get this all sorted out. But if anyone was willing to help me that would be great. Tomorrow is more likely the time to get down and do it.

I need to sort out:

1. A cover letter
2. Improve my current CV

My CV as it stands is very outdated, has no mention of my current position or anything my job entails.

I actually need to send an email off pretty quickly to the head of HR just asking for the Job description. So I can tailor my CV and Cover letter.

I don't suppose anyone has a nice informal, yet not so casual I sound like a dipstick way of going about asking for that? I know her first and second name, should I call her by it?

Hi Jane_Doe

I am writing to request the Job description for the IT Systems officer position

Many Thanks

Mr Wannabedamned

Too casual?

I'm so over thinking this... I'm out of practice.
 
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It depends on how well you know her. Being friendly and lightly formal can sometimes be a good idea.

Hi Jane,

I hope you're well and enjoyed the weekend. I'm getting in touch to see whether it might be possible to read the job description for the IT Systems Offier position?

I look forward to hearing from you.

Best regards,

Me


CVs and cover letters differ fom industry to industry, and as such everyone has differing opinions on style, format and content. I run a small headhunting and recruitment firm, and I'm sure plenty people would disagree with my approach to CV writing and the like. Best to find a style that most suits you and spend serious time and thought putting together something that best sells your candidacy. I normally go for the understated but quite professional CV approach - I normally find that is best received, compared to the 6 page long format (indicating everything you've ever done in a job) or the short and sweet style. But like I said, it all depends on what you feel best suits you and the position.
 
@wannabedamned

Sounds good, I would suggest using 'Dear' as oppose to 'Hi'. Email might be a quick communication tool but treat it properly. I understand you're going for a informal approach but really you shouldn't use 'Hi' professionally IMHO.
 
Hi there.

This is a copy of my CV. Just added my current job to it, Not really made many other amendments, Its saved in RTF format. Rich text format.

Do you think it should be a .doc? I'm guessing so.

Let me know what you think, And i'd love some pointers\improvements

http://www.http://wannabedamned.net/OCUK/ocukcv.rtf

Thanks :)


....Already spotted 1 mistake after proof reading =\

"all all departments"

awesome :p

Also, I'm aware the top section isnt correctly aligned with the rest, so that needs altering. wording is my main concern, and anything I could add that I havent. :)
 
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It's sometimes a good idea to structure it as:

Company
Location

Title - followed by a 2-3 line blurb/brief outline of either the company, the industry or the role

Then bullet points outlining your responsibilities and task (5-10 points)

Then up to 5 following bullet points highlighting successes you've had in that role.

For example:

Barclays Capital, London
2004 - Present
Vice-Presient, Interest Rate Trading (Short Term Product Group)
Interest Rate Trading sits within the industry-leading Treasury and Financing division at Barclays Capital, with accompanying trading divisions in New York, Singapore and Hong Kong.

I'm responsible for:

- Trading of all short term treasury products, covering interest rates, foreign exchange and money markets
- Primary responsibility for LIBOR
- Market-making in Interest Rate Swaps and Forward Rate Agreements
- Pricing of overnight LIBOR
- Mentoring junior traders on the desk
- Trading across all major currencies, including GBP, USD, EUR and AUD
- Liaising with trading desks at other investment banks with intentions of LIBOR pricing and trading

Achievements:

- Successfully mispriced the LIBOR since 2005
- Excellent ability to give in to pressure from my superiors
- Proven track record in "cooking the books" and daily mispricing of my trading book to create above average profits for the bank
- Managed to resign from my position prior to LIBOR-gate, thus enabling my to retain my previous 5 years bonus and not affecting my PnL


Obviously that's just a light example, and you can add any manner of extras to the role (such as additional programming languages used), but it gives the HR manager or recruiter everything they need. Explanation of your role, your successes and the team/company in which you work. They don't need any more or any less than this.
 
Skillmister said:
I wouldn't wear a suit to a supermarket interview. I've been to 4 asda interviews (i know right...) and only ever saw 2 people in suits out of 20+ candidates. Shirt and tie and black trousers. (inb4 you didn't get the job because no suit)
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My father manages a supermarket and says he would always prioritise giving a job to someone who wore a suit.
 
I suggested a sub-forum many months ago as I think it would be good if trusted long term members could also advertise jobs in their company (no agencies!!) as well as members posting saying they are looking. Stricter entry rules than MM.

I've always got one or two positions available in my team and one of them at least any OCUK member who posts regularly in the hardware sections could do.
 
Well I've done it, Applied for the position.

If I dont get it, atleast I'm still working. I just hope I do. One of the guys who I CC'd in the email pulled me to one side today and told me he felt I was applying with a strong CV, and my cover letter by all account was one of the best he'd read.

So all in all, A good chance I think.
 
If your interview includes a presentation put a lot of time and effort into it, I've just been offered a job after giving a presentation I spent 40 hours working on and it was worth every minute. Apparently the gap between my presentation and the rest was startling so it can help. They can tell when you put the effort in, I even did some trial runs with my wife as the audience - albeit a very bored one!
 
My friend is starting to look for a serious job after 2 years of uni, but he got a 2.2. I remember reading in another thread that someone said they got a 2.2, but never put it on their cv. Does this sound sneaky enough to work?
 
Got my interview tomorrow. Scared!!!

My brother had an interview today for the same company, but a different job. Apparently the woman interviewing was quite pressuring and hostile! And she asked questions that basically slapped any pre thought up answers in the face haha.

Example: She asked for his 3 strongest attributes. So he listed his 3 strongest attributes. And then she said "Now tell me why they would make you a good team leader"

...Oh crap, But I have a speech prepared!! :p

Oh this will be fun =\

Apparently there is a very hard maths test too for his interview, if i get suckered with one I'm dead! As I'm terrible at maths
 
I find all of that interview-question type scenario so forced and contrived, mostly utter bull. Has nothing to do with your technical skills and all about your skills for self-promotion and clever rhetoric. I wouldn't worry too much.
 
slambo69 said:
My friend is starting to look for a serious job after 2 years of uni, but he got a 2.2. I remember reading in another thread that someone said they got a 2.2, but never put it on their cv. Does this sound sneaky enough to work?
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If the interviewer cares enough -and it's rare that they don't - then this will at best result in the question having to be asked and at worst be considered intentionally sneaky.

wannabedamned said:
Got my interview tomorrow. Scared!!!

My brother had an interview today for the same company, but a different job. Apparently the woman interviewing was quite pressuring and hostile! And she asked questions that basically slapped any pre thought up answers in the face haha.

Example: She asked for his 3 strongest attributes. So he listed his 3 strongest attributes. And then she said "Now tell me why they would make you a good team leader"

...Oh crap, But I have a speech prepared!! :p

Oh this will be fun =\

Apparently there is a very hard maths test too for his interview, if i get suckered with one I'm dead! As I'm terrible at maths
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Interviews aren't there for you to recite your carefully rehearsed speech, they're there to determine whether you're capable or not and whether you'll fit within the business. Increasingly, organisations are assuming that candidates are capable and are focussing on the other elements. In my experience, of course.

InKursion said:
I find all of that interview-question type scenario so forced and contrived, mostly utter bull. Has nothing to do with your technical skills and all about your skills for self-promotion and clever rhetoric. I wouldn't worry too much.
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Sometimes but a good interviewer will ask questions which don't result in that kind of behaviour and whilst I agree that you shouldn't over-worry about an interview it is still important to take it seriously. The interviewer will certainly be taking it seriously.
 
Thought i'd make use of this thread rather than start a new one. :)

I'm currently a student trying to find some part time work whilst at college, but was wondering if anyone had any advice about what to include in a speculative letter to make it stand out more?
 
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