Evaulate this CV please...!

SideWinder · 14 Jul 2009 at 19:18

Will re-add after improvements.

The link above should work ^.

With the girlfriend's permission, I decided to re-do her CV and see what i could come up with during some free time i had today. Any ideas? What do you think? She doesn't have a lot on it really but she does want to KEEP the references as normally job agencies ask for them.

I prefer to include a personal statement because it feels it lets the reader 'get to know' a bit about the person without having to read the rest of the CV. Her work experience focuses around call centres but she can speak fluent Spanish - something her old CV didn't mention too much. So i have suggested work as a translator but its just a matter of finding something.

Also, not sure about the bit at the bottom of the first page...specifically the IT bit. Comments?

Thanks.

SideWinder · 14 Jul 2009 at 20:22

Wow its slipped down pretty quickly...normally OcUK are good at this sort of thing!

Knubje · 14 Jul 2009 at 20:28

Obligatory "no pics with the CV?"

I just had a quick look, nice layout, I'm no grammar nazi so won't pick apart the wording. Read quite well.

I mainly came in to comment that she worked at TLC in Portsmouth! I've known some people work there in the past and said it was possibly the most abysmal place to work ever! Good to get out imo!

GL to your GF!

fini · 14 Jul 2009 at 20:46

'....fluent in Spanish in all forms of communication.'

What does this mean?

My work background...

Uses 'work' in a repetitive manner in the sentence. It is an extremely long and clunky sentence in any case.

knowing how to interact coherently

That's setting a pretty low bar don't you think? Surely being able to speak coherently is something they will expect in any case?

representing my place of study

Is this a reference to work she has previously done? If so, you need to take in to account that they will not yet have read whatever it is referencing and thus this reference makes little sense.

This includes tours of the campus but also office work such as working on the switchboard, data entry and general administration tasks

would be better as 'This includes tours of the campus as well as general office work, including data entry, switchboard and office management tasks.'

to speak to inbound customers

Do you speak to them in person or on the telephone? This is quite unclear.

who were looking to stay

I assume from 'were' that once they speak to your girlfriend they no longer want to stay at the hotel?

including payment

This seems superfluous

I dealt with the general public and inputted and processed confidential information accurately.

Would be better as 'Working in an incoming call centre, I took enquiries through the requisite sign-up process to become new customers; inputting and processing confidential data accurately.'

If GCSEs were good you might want to put a quick line such as '11 A*, 2 As' or at least 'GCSE - 10 A-C including Mathematics and English'.

SideWinder · 14 Jul 2009 at 21:13

Wow, not sure where to start with that fini!

1) I meant written and spoken...how can i make this better?
2) Okay, will take a look.
3) Will change!
4) I meant that she is working at the University, so representing it to others...if that makes sense or am i misunderstanding?

5) Changed.
6) Best way to edit that?
7) I didn't know how else to put that one...

8) Removed. I guess it is pretty obvious.
9) Thanks.

Thats the issue. I did a thread about it a short while ago. She has zero GCSEs as she was in Colombia and went straight into A-Levels...hence why i put the grades down as she did quite well.

EDITS:

I am a Psychology student studying at Roehampton University fluent in spoken and written Spanish. My career history focuses on working within a team and knowing how to interact under pressure in a professional manner.

I am working on a part time basis as a ‘Student Ambassador’ responsible for meeting, greeting and promoting my University to those interested in further education. This includes tours of the campus as well as general office work, including data entry, switchboard and office management tasks.

I worked for Travelodge to answer calls from customers looking to stay at the hotel. This involved processing the booking and answering any questions regarding the hotel and the customer’s stay.

dangerstat · 14 Jul 2009 at 21:26

Don't include a personal statement for a start (put anything like that in a CL so you can be role specific).

If she really is fluent in Spanish that's fine, if she's just a uni student and not actually Spanish don't include that comment.

an "approachable personality" sounds stupid.

You've tried to write up some of her work experience in an OTT style. Don;t write things like "working in a target based environment" - just list what it is they did.

The "company" and dates aren't vertically aligned - confused me for a few seconds and it will others that read it. Change that

Otherwise not terrible

SideWinder · 14 Jul 2009 at 21:33

She is half Colombian so yes she speaks the language and has done since birth. I will remove that bit about the personality.

Tempted to keep in the 'target based' bit as it shows working under pressure and experience at sales...surely?

I've aligned the company and dates after advice from sr4470 on MSN, so thanks to him.

fini · 14 Jul 2009 at 21:37

SideWinder said:
I am a Psychology student studying at Roehampton University. I am bilingual, fluent in English and Spanish. My career history focuses on working within a team and knowing how to interact well under pressure, in a considered and adept manner.

dangerstat · 14 Jul 2009 at 21:38

SideWinder said:
She is half Colombian so yes she speaks the language and has done since birth. I will remove that bit about the personality. Tempted to keep in the 'target based' bit as it shows working under pressure and experience at sales...surely?

I've aligned the company and dates after advice from sr4470 on MSN, so thanks to him.

Argh that's fine, it's just so many people put "fluent" at things after (or whilst at) university when they really aren't if she's spoken Spanish from birth that's fine of course.

Try to reword that target based bit - trust me - just make it less in your face " I'M TRYING TO TELL YOU I WORKED IN A HIGH PRESSURE ENVIRONMENT"

SideWinder · 14 Jul 2009 at 21:40

fini - once again, awesome. Thanks. Fancy getting her a job as well?

dangerstat - Will do, thanks for the tip.

fini · 14 Jul 2009 at 21:43

dangerstat said:
Don't include a personal statement for a start (put anything like that in a CL so you can be role specific).

Generally I would agree, but the small amount he wants to include doesn't seem like a terrible idea. There also seems to be an implication that this will mostly be going to job agencies, where a CL wont be an option.

SideWinder · 14 Jul 2009 at 21:44

fini said:
Generally I would agree, but the small amount he wants to include doesn't seem like a terrible idea. There also seems to be an implication that this will mostly be going to job agencies, where a CL wont be an option.

Thats correct, hence the references.