Opinions on my cv please.

Discussion in 'Employment & Jobs' started by brizzoluk, Nov 1, 2010.

  1. brizzoluk

    brizzoluk Kilobyte Poster

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    I did post this on the end of another thread but have started a new thread to avoid confusion.

    This is my first effort at writing a cv so please be as critical as you want, it for my benefit :)
     
    Certifications: ECDL, A+
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  2. JonnyMX

    JonnyMX Petabyte Poster

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    What I said before...

    :biggrin:wink:
     
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  3. brizzoluk

    brizzoluk Kilobyte Poster

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    JonnyMX

    "You've got a lot of issues here - but most of them easy to rectify.

    Lose the border - it looks like an obituary.
    Lose your DOB - don't need it.
    Stick to one font - it looks as if you have a few in there.
    To say you are pursuing your dream job makes you sound self-serving. Re-word it to make it sound as if you're doing it for their benefit.
    Given that it's a short CV, I'd say a bit more about your education and qualifications.
    What does qualified user of Office 2007 mean?
    There are a few typos throughout, for instance, shouldn't it be lorry-mounted crane rather than 'lorry Mounted crane'.

    Overall, it's a good start but my main concern is that lots of the issues seem to be down to how you have formatted the document. There is clearly a mix of fonts, and I think that 'Mounted' was probably an auto-correction because you've started a new line rather than used tabs. This would ring alarm bells, especially as you are playing your experience and qualifications with Office as one of your trump cards.

    Sorry if that sounds harsh"


    Thanks for your comments jonnyMX
    It obviously needs a bit of work so i'll have another play with it.
    The office 2007 bit just meant that i have the ECDL certification.
     
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  4. LukeP

    LukeP Gigabyte Poster

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    Still, you say your qualified but you can't format your own CV properly. No offence meant, I'm just saying what the potential employer can think.

    I agree with JonnyMX.
    Also drop nationality. Border definately needs to go too.

    Put some effort into formatting. You could make it a lot tidier.
    Skills section needs some work too. "Lots of experience" just sounds silly to be honest.
    Customer service and service delivery skills are what employers look for. Make the most out of it.

    Make sure you post the updated version so we can have a further look.
     
    Last edited: Nov 1, 2010
    WIP: Uhmm... not sure
  5. brizzoluk

    brizzoluk Kilobyte Poster

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    Ok thanks for the feedback, here is my second attempt..
     

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    Certifications: ECDL, A+
    WIP: Network+
  6. Sparky
    Highly Decorated Member Award 500 Likes Award

    Sparky Zettabyte Poster Moderator

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    Personal profile formatting is all over the place.
    Drop Personal Interests

    You need to completely change the personal statement to get someone to read the rest of your CV.
     
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  7. brizzoluk

    brizzoluk Kilobyte Poster

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    Well the formatting on the personal profile is the same as the rest of the cv?

    Apart from that what exactly dont you like about it?
    I didnt want to make it too long and i think its a good summary about me.

    Also you suggest dropping the personal interests, i would have thought a potential employer would want to see what sort of person you are and personal interests gives a slight insight to that.
    You dont think this is the way to go then?
     
    Certifications: ECDL, A+
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  8. Fergal1982

    Fergal1982 Petabyte Poster

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    I think Sparky is referring to the blank spaces. If they are separate paragraphs, then there should be a blank line between them. But I wouldn't classify those as paragraphs in their own right - they are too short. There's no flow to the statement either, its more like just a couple of bullet points.

    Personally, I would include months in your employment dates, years only really works when you have been with the companies for several years. 2004-2005 tells me nothing. that could be Dec 2004 to Jan 2005, or Jan 2004 to Dec 2005.

    I also agree with sparky on the Personal interests front. You will find differing opinions on the forums, but as far as I'm concerned, the employer is hiring me to do a job, not be a dab hand at computer games. Additionally, watching football and spending time with your family are, to be blunt, inane things to put onto a personal interests. Next you will be adding socialising. These things are almost a given, you dont need to mention them. Sure, some personal interests can enhance your cv for a particular job, but they are generally unusual in some way.

    I also wouldn't include "self-studying IT certifications". In an ideal situation, you want the employer to take on responsibility for paying for courses/exams if you can. It may not happen at all, or might not happen with exams you want yourself (in which case you do it yourself), but detailing that you enjoy doing it yourself as a personal interest will see it as an excuse not to spend any money on you. after all, why should they send you on that course, when they could just tell you to go study it yourself? You enjoy it anyway, right?
     
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  9. JonnyMX

    JonnyMX Petabyte Poster

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    It's getting there.
    Take your age off - it's like putting your DOB, gender or religion on there. Technically nothing wrong with doing so, but you are setting yourself up for some kind of prejudice, even if it is unintentional.

    The formatting on your profile just looks a bit scruffy. You're using a return to break your lines up which just looks uneven. Use left justify or justify both to make it uniform. If you want to break it into paragraphs then put a blank line between them - but you don't have to on such a short piece of text.

    Generally personal interests or hobbies should be avoided unless they say something interesting about you. Activities where you work in teams or support others are good but they can always be problematic. Dull hobbies make you sound, well, dull and hobbies that take a lot of time and commitment leaves the employer wondering when you'll get any work done. Again, some activities like supporting football, volunteering in a church etc can run the prejudice flag up the pole again. So, use them if they say anything positive about you, or if you really don't have a lot else to say on a CV.

    You do need to have a good proof-read through the rest. In some places you've either used a return by mistake, or you've tried to bullet point without bullets - for example 'Involving a lot of ground excavating, whilst locating and avoiding underground cables and services.' isn't a sentence, but you've got it standing alone.

    Stick at it though - don't let the criticisms get you down. CVs take a while to get right, and don't forget, we're just giving our opinions. Nothing to say we're always right... :biggrin
     
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  10. Sparky
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    Sparky Zettabyte Poster Moderator

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    Sorry mate, I should have put more detail in my last post. The other guys have gone into more detail about the formatting which I agree with.

    Back to the personal statement. It doesn’t sell your best points to get an entry level IT job.
    The first bit of your comes across as if you just like tinkering about with PCs which is great but in reality (in a IT support job) problems have to be fixed quickly and correctly.
    You have highlighted your customer service skills further down the CV. Perhaps try and push this more in your personal statement.

    e.g “I am a CompTIA A+ certified IT professional with excellent customer service skills…. Etc. etc.”
    Hope this helps mate
     
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  11. Sparky
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    Sparky Zettabyte Poster Moderator

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    Nobody gets a job on personal interests. :biggrin
     
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  12. BosonMichael
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    BosonMichael Yottabyte Poster

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    ...at least, not at a place where IT is taken seriously. Doesn't matter whether you are a Christian (which I am), a Titans or Preds fan (which I am), enjoy computer and board gaming (which I do), or enjoy scuba diving (which I do). Sure, it's nice to have common interests among team members, but ultimately, the only thing that matters is whether you can do the job.
     
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  13. SimonD
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    SimonD Terabyte Poster

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    Whilst true I would add that it can't hurt.

    Whilst on an interview at a large International Investment bank a few years ago the subject came up about gaming, for 15 minutes of that interview I had a discussion on whether it was better to be Horde or Alliance (Alliance FTMFW btw).

    Three years after finishing at the bank I am still good friends with the guy who interviewed me (we meet up every 3 - 6 months or so (depending on where in the country I am working), talk on the phone every other month or so and talk on Battle.Net every week or so).

    I personally have no objections to having personal interests on a CV (I used to have them but don't now after my CV was redone for me), if it works for you then go for it.
     
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  14. LukeP

    LukeP Gigabyte Poster

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    I don't have any interests at all. I've always stated it during the interviews too and it has never been an issue.
     
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  15. Fergal1982

    Fergal1982 Petabyte Poster

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    Most of the time, no. But it could. For instance, if you stated that your interest was supporting Rangers, and the interviewer was a Celtic fan....
     
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  16. SimonD
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    SimonD Terabyte Poster

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    Or Hibs \ Dons :p

    There are of course things that you would have to think twice about before putting them on a CV but in your case, would you really want to work for someone who holds it against you for supporting one football team over another? I wouldn't, who I support is a personal choice, not a group one.
     
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  17. SimonD
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    SimonD Terabyte Poster

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    Do you alphabetize your CD\DVD collection?? :p
     
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  18. LukeP

    LukeP Gigabyte Poster

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    Nope. I do a lot of PHP development as a hobby (most of my spare time).
    But usually the question is what are your interests outside of IT. Then, it's me casually saying: "Uhmm, I don't think I have any".

    It always catches the interviewer's attention and then I clarify that the question was "outside of IT".

    Seems to work :D:twisted:

    Don't get me wrong though. I only say that when asked. It's not that I walk into interview and say "I'm not interested in anything!"
     
    Last edited: Nov 3, 2010
    WIP: Uhmm... not sure

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