Need some serious CV criticism, please :)

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Hi guys,

In need of some huge help here. I've done my CV. Seems okay but I know I missed out certain points and need to tweak it a little.

I've put as much info as I can in there, trying to be as exhaustive as possible. I will manipulate it for each job application I make.

It seems so long doesn't it? But it's difficult to take stuff out. Is it necessary to keep all my jobs there so as to avoid CV gaps? Where can I save space?

Seems a little cramped though doesn't it?

Overall, what do you guys think? I'll be applying for a 1st line support role. Does the CV give me enough ammunition to be a bit more ambitious and apply for a slightly more advanced role?

Any criticisms are warmly welcomed. It's the only way I can really improve on it. Please be as harsh as you possibly can.

Any help would be really appreciated.

Thank you in advance.

PS: If anyone has time to have a really detailed look at it, please let me know of any silly mistakes or omissions or contradictions. Im sorry if I made some silly blunders, it's really late :S

 

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I don't have time at the moment to do a detailed review, but on the surface, it looks pretty good, if a little long. Until only very recently, my resume was a page long, but my certifications have expanded the resume to a second page.

One thing I do on my resume is boil down each job to a sentence or two. For example:

They don't need to know that I managed an Exchange server; I can list Exchange experience in my skills section. They don't need to know that I managed Cisco devices; I can list Cisco experience in my skills section. And they certainly don't need to know that administered Windows servers in every single job... my resume would go on for days! I simply list Windows server administration in my skills section.

Boiling down your job duties to a couple of sentences each might be enough to trim your CV down to two pages. Remember, you've got only a few seconds to get their attention.

You've got both networking and development stuff on there. Focusing on one or the other skillset (based on the job you're going after) will also go a long way to trim your CV length and focus only on the relevant (eye-catching) things.

To be honest, your resume looks like you are a LOT more qualified than a 1st line support tech. If I had a 1st line job available and I got your resume, I'd likely put you in the "overqualified" pile. After all, I want a 1st line tech... not someone expensive who can administer Windows servers, Cisco devices, and firewalls!

 

I cant fully judge because im also trying to get myself into an IT support job and don't know if my Cv is up to it, but, on the face of it from glancing over yours a few things popped out at me

1. you say your degree is an expectant 2.1 but isnt there a 2 page thread on how you have virtually failed it and cannot resit?

2. Im not sure the reviewer will be too interested in your enjoyment of cooking

 

It does look a little long, although good.

I agree that you actually look over qualified for a 1st line support tech.

 

Thanks guys. As always, your advice is much appreciated and so helpful.

I've rolled out another newer version of my CV yet again, this time managing to scrape off about half a page, but it's still just over 2 pages. Struggling to see what I can take out.

Thanks for that. Having re-read it, it did look a little awkward. What do you think now?

In regard to the degree, I can still show off my project results which I rightly earned results for and the last thing I want to do is say that I'm expecting a fail. So I guess I had no choice. I wouldn't have that up for too long, just until the point where my results are released. Technically I haven't received any results, so if I do get a job before then, they can judge me on my abilities rather than my degree result. It does help me for the meanwhile, showing that I have been busy with studies. I'm not lying black and white, just exagerating my results ever so slightly ;). Unfortunately it seems necessary just for the meanwhile. I'll try my luck. And I did think cooking may be irrelevant, but perhaps it just shows another side of me that the interviewer can relate to and perhaps break the ice with. Is it a negative point?

I've taken your good advice and trimmed down my job duties and it's as much as I can take out without taking anything too important out. However, I'm stunned your CV can be so short, but maybe since I'm at the start it'll take more to show off all I can do, whereas your long experiences and coupled certifications speak for themselves.

I do have networking and development stuff there, and what I will be doing is changing and reshuffling as necessary to ensure each application is as targeted as possible. I also got the covering letter to help me explain more about myself. So, for my master CV (this one), I'll leave everything in there for now and when I am applying for jobs in the future, I can add and remove as necessary.

AND

That's a scary thought and I never actually considered that. The last thing I want is to be rejected because they think I'm overqualified which I'm pretty certain am not. Maybe I'm overdoing it in my CV? I mean, the last thing I want to do is lie, and eventually get caught out. So everything in my CV explains me exactly as I am. If I only have basic experience, I've described that as 'exposure' in my CV. So, that CV shows me for what I can do. Although I don't have much experience in IT support in a commercial environment, i.e. helpdesk, etc., what sort of jobs can I possibly apply for then?

Once again, thanks so much for everyones help. Please have a look at my new and improved CV and let me know what you think.

 

It just seems to me that putting that your expecting a 2.1 is maybe pushing the boat out a little far, why not just keep your known results for your projects and put awaiting results for the degree with no grade given, you wont be lying but you also wont be giving them false hope.
What happens if you get a job with that CV, come results time and you have nothing, the boss asks you how it went? from expecting a 2.1 to having nothing is a massive step.

Also from looking a lot into writing tips one thing that seems to come up a lot is that the person reading your CV couldnt give a damn what you do in your own time, they want to know if your the best man to fill their job.

Just to clarify my position, im not trying to be harsh or pick fault, im just giving my view point as I would see it myself. Im in the same boat, not knowing what to put in, what to leave out (although I dont have that much to put in), how to word it all for best effect.

 

Thanks Markyboy, hmm, I'll consider leaving the 2.1 out. Probably a better idea. I know you're not being harsh or picking fault. This is exactly what I want - some constructive criticism, and I thank you for that.

In regard to my interests, well it's only a couple of lines, and surely not going to take up too much space. I have been told in the past that putting something there is good, so as to show you have another side of you and a life. I have been told in the past that sometimes jobs are given to people not just because they can do the job but also because they would fit into the culture of the company, and enjoy their time there. I'm not saying that any of my interests will show them that I am culturally right, but it does show I do other things. I was also told that it's a golden opportunity to break the ice with in interviews and interviewers do sometimes look at that. Can help dminish nerves and lighten up the atmosphere. Again, I may take that out. Will have to think about it. Thanks!

Thanks Sparky!

 

the thing that jumps out at me is that it is too wordy ... eg the first three lines of your PC & Networking all mention "configuring", that could be condensed to a single line with

Installing, configuring, troubleshooting and administering both Windows & Unix operating systems


"Fixing poor performance systems" & internal and "external hardware cleaning .. for optimal performance" - again the same thing reworded .. which is actually already covered by the line above.

The first two lines about "exposure to ..." called all be grouped into a single sentence with something like "Active Directory and GPO configuration"

Trimming it down in this way would keep it down to 2 pages.

It may be worth remembering that a CV is all about getting an interview and it is there that you can expand upon the finer details, thus making yourself sound even better ;)

HTH

 

Thanks wassup. Very good advice to trim CV down...

 

Oh i agree it can be, a guy that worked at our place was singer in a band and he put that in his application for a job with the AA, in the interview the interviewer joked saying 'your not going to break into song are you?' to which he replied 'To be honest thats the only reason I applied, to be in the advert' He got the job.
He isnt in the ad though lol, although somebody who was in the advert broke down and he went out to them and he ended up having a sing with him and his wife while they fixed the motor, mental

 

Lol your friend was funny but lucky that the interviewer had a sense of humour. Sometimes I heard jokes don't work!

So guys, I'm continually developing my CV, but I received a couple of comments from you guys regarding I look overqualified. Any advice on what I can do and what sort of jobs I can potentially apply for?

To be honest, the best way forward is to target my CV for each application seperately anyway, so I probably wouldn't look overqualified, but when I am posting my CV on websites for recruiters to look at, I cannot possibly target any jobs. What sort of potential does my CV have?