CV Writing Style

Narj

Narj

Narj

Soldato
Joined
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I've seen a few CVs today and noticed that they are both written entirely in the 3rd person.

Is this some sort of fad, because IMO it makes you look a bit up yourself?

"XYZ is an excellent engineer..."
"XYZ was an invaluable member of the team at..."
"XYZ has been developing so and so product..."

I'm wondering whether agencies are rewriting them or whether people actually think writing a CV in the 3rd person is the done thing these days.

Any thoughts? How do you write yours?
 
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PianoBasher said:
I've seen a few CVs today and noticed that they are both written entirely in the 3rd person.

Is this some sort of fad, because IMO it makes you look a bit up yourself?

"XYZ is an excellent engineer..."
"XYZ was an invaluable member of the team at..."
"XYZ has been developing so and so product product..."

I'm wondering whether agencies are rewriting them or whether people actually think writing a CV in the 3rd person is the done thing these days.

Any thoughts? How do you write yours?
Click to expand...

I use an adapted 3rd person (4th person?), it seems the most professional way of authoring any sort of copy for portfolios, resumes etc. "I/me/my" lacks professionalism I think.
 
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I've always been told you should avoid using 'I', but not to write in 3rd person either.

So instead of writing 'I have volunteered in blahblah allowing me...' or 'Razor-BladE has volunteered in blahblah allowing him...', you should write 'Volunteering in blahblah has allowed for...'.

That's what I was taught anyway.
 
Razor-BladE said:
So instead of writing 'I have volunteered in blahblah allowing me...' or 'Razor-BladE has volunteered in blahblah allowing him...', you should write 'Volunteering in blahblah has allowed for...'.

That's what I was taught anyway.
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That's pretty much how I do mine. Avoiding "I" as much as possible apart from in a personal statement section. :)
 
Very strange to name yourself in third-person on a CV.
Sentences should be of the form: "Researched and developed XYZ", "Managed a small team of 12 people through project XYZ", "Learned skill XYZ", "Awarded medal for outstanding merit"
 
D.P. said:
"Researched and developed XYZ", "Managed a small team of 12 people through project XYZ", "Learned skill XYZ", "Awarded medal for outstanding merit"
Click to expand...

For general career information, this is the basic format mine follows too.

No use of third person, I just don't like it.
 
Razor-BladE said:
I've always been told you should avoid using 'I', but not to write in 3rd person either.

So instead of writing 'I have volunteered in blahblah allowing me...' or 'Razor-BladE has volunteered in blahblah allowing him...', you should write 'Volunteering in blahblah has allowed for...'.

That's what I was taught anyway.
Click to expand...

It's how mine is written too. :)
 
PianoBasher said:
I've seen a few CVs today and noticed that they are both written entirely in the 3rd person.

Is this some sort of fad, because IMO it makes you look a bit up yourself?

"XYZ is an excellent engineer..."
"XYZ was an invaluable member of the team at..."
"XYZ has been developing so and so product..."

I'm wondering whether agencies are rewriting them or whether people actually think writing a CV in the 3rd person is the done thing these days.

Any thoughts? How do you write yours?
Click to expand...
It's retarded. Don't write a CV like that.
 
Up to last year, I read about 1.5k CVs a year. I was the first line recruitment for a large business. Personally, I felt a 3rd person CV was rubbish!


Razor-BladE said:
I've always been told you should avoid using 'I', but not to write in 3rd person either.

So instead of writing 'I have volunteered in blahblah allowing me...' or 'Razor-BladE has volunteered in blahblah allowing him...', you should write 'Volunteering in blahblah has allowed for...'.

That's what I was taught anyway.
Click to expand...

Spot on, this reads the most professional. I'd hire you. In fact, you're hired. You start on Monday.
 
magnolia doesn't always write in the third person but when he does he gets the job.

It's a terrible style. As said, truncate 'I achieved...' or 'magnolia achieved...' to just 'achieved...'
 
Well for what it's worth, the people reviewing the CVs think that writing in the 3rd person makes you sound like a ****. Glad we're not hiring people that write in that fashion.

Also, some people seem to think they can push their own product on their CV. Nice!
 
When I have reviewed CVs, I personally prefer 1st person. There is being professional, but I am still looking to employ a human and humans think "I" when talking about themselves. Somebody's professional credentials will either be evident or shine through in an interview, but the bottom line is that I want to know about the person behind all the dry stats and words. After all, I'm going to have to spend more time with them in an average week than my own family, so I like to get to know them too.

Anyway, that's just my 2 cents worth.
 
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