I need to do a new C.V mine is very basic and I was wondering if you guys had any tips or advice on how to write up an impressive one.

What to include as well, can I for instance put information in there about skills I have but don't have the relevant qualifications/certificates for?
If anyone wants to put up pictures of templates or layouts to use, I would appreciate it.

The more advice the better.

1. Keep your contact details at the top: include address, email, landline and mobile.
2. Include a pssport size photo. Smile.
3. Experience first if you have it. Reverse chronological order: inlude where,employer, job title, brief description, start and stop dates.
4. List your qualifications: most important first.
5. List other skills/qualities: first aid, languages (and level of competence) computer skills, talents
6. Brief freetime/outside interests
7. Two references: one of which should be recent employer/line manager. Include their name, role, contact details.

remember to write a cover letter for each application

mikey mikey wrote:
Thanks Mikey, I don't know what a cover letter is, what is it?

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to you to apply for the position of (insert job here) as advertised in (insert website, paper, whatever her with dates). Please find attached ("enclosed" if in a letter) my C.V.

Thank you for considering my application.

Yours faithfully,

Silvershine

---

On the email with your CV in a word document in an attached file.
(Note that not every firm has updated to the latest Word format so save as an old 97-2003 word file.)
Or if in a letter: cover letter on a seperate piece of paper with your CV in the same envelope.

Remember we spoke of wax crayons?
Best not to use them to write it m'kay.

feather wrote:
lol

You're on form today feather :p

Sshine- it depends what sort of field you work in. CV's can vary radically and traditionally a 'CV' as such would be restricted to academia, the rest would be the 'resumé'

Mines ridiculously big but its expected in my field, with technical knowledge bulleted on the first page or two or three lol.

I'm just messin'
I know shiney wouldn't do that.
He snapped all his crayons.

feather wrote:

andyh wrote:
Conversely mine is brief and to the point because of the high turnover of staff and the short term contracts.

andyh wrote:
I've never done anything spectacular in my employment history, I so wish I had done better.

I have self trained in many tasks, sadly my uncertified skills outweigh my past employment skills.

I can imagine yours and many peeps on here C.V's being as as long as an Andrex loo roll.

Personally I do not ever mess with them anymore but when I was an ass manager in retail I used to see a lot. I think from that view you want to keep is simple but like andyh said some fields might require more. Really in a lot of jobs you are selling yourself as somebody who is loyal and won`t be leaving next week when another job comes up. So it is often better if you have less jobs that lasted longer. Really though you should tailor the cv to the position to a degree. I would pretty much follow what mikey mikey said and say good luck.

silvershine wrote:
Its what they expect for the job that I do.
Ideally you need the most important (and impressive) stuff on the first page.
A designer (and even a programmer say) would have links to work done online.

So its all going to boil down to what job you do and/or what job you are applying for.

My uncertified skills also heavily outweigh what I have qualifications for, so there's nothing different there

silvershine wrote:
put your details first (dont include date of birth or if you're single or married)
personal statement
key skills
work history
education and qualifications
references (just put available on request, if they want them they'll ask for them)


i used to create cv's for people in my previous job helping unemployed people back to work...

...then i was made redundant hahaha. ironic!

i can send you a few to use if you want or type over and adapt it just to give you an idea.

what sort of work did you do before?

bump

bobster wrote:
all sorts.

If you could put some templates up on here, I would appreciate it.

PGBFWSTDBTBF ftw

silvershine wrote:


You can invent a very good work history for yourself if you have gaps. I knew a couple of big factories that had shut down so i put that on my CV that i was supervisor there .Because the factories no longer exist they do not check up.

One of my mates had only about 2yrs employment in his life but using businesses etc that had closed down he was able to put together a nice 30 year work history.

^ I wouldn't try that tactic if applying for a council job though. They check with Inland Revenue re which employers have dealt with your PAYE.

nirvana wrote:
Thanks man.

I will stick to being factual.