Is my C.V really that bad?

Soldato
Joined
1 Jul 2009
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2,678
I've sent out about 30 letters to company for part time jobs which either didn't reply or said nothing available at this time, and applied for about 10 part time jobs that actually advertised. I keep getting rejected and not knowing why, B&Q have turned me down 5 times now at different stores and their e-mail doesn't even state why.

So is my C.V the problem? Please check it yourself and see if that's the reason I am failing.

No harsh comments please. I'm still waiting for Tesco to reply and I think I have a better chance of getting this job.
 
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There's a grammar error in the first line.

That's probably why it gets thrown in the bin at first read.

Edit: *Work Experience* < Thats a school phrase, change it to something more businesslike such as 'Employment History'

Personally, I'd include that first, and place your key skills later down the document.

Virtually no-one who reads a C.V. will have ever heard of Overclocking, so don't make that a CV point, and list the most 'well known' hobby first, so that its more eye catching. (If anyone reads down that far)
 
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Also a few spelling errors throughout. It also seems to be quite, I dunno, heavy? Doesn't seem to be much structure, and just a lot of text/information and not a lot of substance.
 
What have each company said when you have followed your application up with a call? What was the feedback on why they didn't choose you?

Your CV doesn't scream to me what makes you different.
 
Hello

Your first line about the hard working part needs to say a little more. I dont think you should put the 'like to know how things work' part

Other than that its decent
 
Honestly - The layout leaves a lot to be desired and it makes it a bit hard to determine what is going on in the document. The content itself I didn't really look at, if I am honest the same thing would happen if it jumped onto my desk it would probably not get all that far as I simply look, if it jumps out of the page I will look again and have a read. If it doesn't it gets filed in the bin.

I would be happy to share some layouts that have been sucessfull for me - email in trust.
 
Its not just your CV (tho it could do with some work)... theres 100s of people applying atm for just about any position even if they are totally not suited to the job so they have to be fairly draconian filtering applicants - my brother had a post in his dept. open up for an assistant and they have had over 200 applications per day so far - most of them don't even get a proper reply.

Also not a great time for applying to retail as its typically a low point of the year trading wise with hours being cut and still shedding the last of the Christmas temp staff your better off looking later in the year around the seasonal trading times summer and Christmas.
 
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Lose the sentence about you at the top, or at least word it better.

I'd lose the borders around your section with the GCSE grades, looks sloppy compared to the rest of it.

Cutting greens and surrounded.
I'm assuming is wrong.

When going for retail jobs, these websites, especially B&Q, have their own online application systems so they shouldn't even be seeing your CV. How are you applying? The major thing you need to do would be try and target your CV for retail a little more. Your experience doesn't show much in terms of dealing with customers/people skills. Maths and Engineering are fantastic skills usually on a CV, but they aren't what (usually awful) retail managers will be looking for.

EDIT - Echo the comments about this being the worst time of the year for applying for retail positions.

I'd leave work experience titled as just that, it's different to employment history, which is when you've been employed/paid. Seperate the two.

Considering I see silly amounts of CVs from 16-19 year olds, it's not that bad as a CV.
 
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It is bad indeed, google for some cv/resume templates and examples, your structure and points are all over the place. You are doing yourself a disservice with this CV.
 
Lose the sentence about you at the top, or at least word it better.

I'd lose the borders around your section with the GCSE grades, looks sloppy compared to the rest of it.

I'm assuming is wrong.

When going for retail jobs, these websites, especially B&Q, have their own online application systems so they shouldn't even be seeing your CV. How are you applying? The major thing you need to do would be try and target your CV for retail a little more. Your experience doesn't show much in terms of dealing with customers/people skills. Maths and Engineering are fantastic skills usually on a CV, but they aren't what (usually awful) retail managers will be looking for.

I applied for all these jobs with their on-line application process which requires me to upload the C.V document itself. I don't have much customer skills since I've never worked in a shop just where I put on the C.V.

I'm quite shocked and glad to hear some of the responses about my C.V because I've been told it was good even on an e-mail response from one of my applications.

The bit with the border around the GCSE's isn't mean to be there, it isn't in the original file Google docs messed that up.
 
I would use a better template/layout.

Start with a personal profile at the top: what you're about (experiences), good qualities, and where you're heading. ****** sell yourself man! :p

I would have the headings in this order myself:

Profile
Experience (work)
Education
Skills
Interests

I wouldn't say being punctual is a skill (more a personal quality) nor: 'Worked well in a team of six getting the course prepared for the golfers and also getting on with my own assigned tasks throughout the day.' These are not skills. Being an effective teamworker is, or being able to work well on your own.

With your work experiences, perhaps add a mini-profile at the start of each one to introduce your roles and responsibilities, then perhaps include specifics and achievements in that role underneath.

Lastly, talk with some passion about your interests rather than just bullet point them
 
That needs a lot of work - like kgi said, find some templated online to get you started. The content is fine, but the delivery is not. I can understand why you have had difficulty finding a job with this one.

PC gaming and overclocking should be placed at the bottom of the interests or removed entirely.
 
I applied for all these jobs with their on-line application process which requires me to upload the C.V document itself. I don't have much customer skills since I've never worked in a shop just where I put on the C.V.

I'm quite shocked and glad to hear some of the responses about my C.V because I've been told it was good even on an e-mail response from one of my applications.

The bit with the border around the GCSE's isn't mean to be there, it isn't in the original file Google docs messed that up.

You just need to draw on transferrable skills, considering the type of thing you are applying for. What do they want to see?

Dealing with stock
Dealing with customers, difficult customers, returns
Dealing with cash, tills, EPOS systems
Answering the phone, working with team members
Working to achieve targets.

All pretty basic stuff, but your CV currently doesn't show me you can do any of that.
 
Its not just your CV... theres 100s of people applying atm for just about any position even if they are totally not suited to the job so they have to be fairly draconian filtering applicants - my brother had a post in his dept. open up for an assistant and they have had over 200 applications per day so far - most of them don't even get a proper reply.

Also not a great time for applying to retail as its typically a low point of the year trading wise with hours being cut and still shedding the last of the Christmas temp staff your better off looking later in the year around the seasonal trading times summer and Christmas.

This.... There are also a few tricks to get noticed though... These sound like standard practice but you would be amazed how many people just send in a cv... Find out who is dealing with recruitment for the role and make sure to speak with that person. Following that tell them to expect your cv and a covering letter addressed to them directly.

Make the layout of the cv simple and gear the cv for the role, if its retail make the cv scream retail. If its a techie role gear it that way. Don't whatever you do send the same cv to every opening out there. Places like B&Q, Wicks etc are much more hands on. You stand a far better chance getting a role by just stroling in of the street and asking (at least thats what several of my friends that work at Wicks did).
 
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Honestly? It's pretty bad yes, it's full of grammatical errors and bad punctuation, and lacks a clear structure. I get a lot of CV's, and probably would have binned yours after reading the first line.
 
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