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Casual Articles - How to Write a Better CV (UK), or Resume (USA and elsewhere)
Is Kenexa recruiting for Microsoft or just mining for data?I had a chilling experience the other day. A man from Kenexa called me, ostensibly to recruit me for a job in New York as a Search Marketing Analyst for Microsoft’s new MSN search engine.The first time he called he said he was looking for someone to do work for Fortune 400 clients. I told him I was really busy and that I usually deal with smaller clients. He didn’t think that would be a problem … he was very insistent to talk to me. I suggested I’d call him back, so we left it up in the air and for a few weeks I forgot about him.Then he called me a second time, telling me I was supposed to call him and set up an interview. He practically begged me to do a 45-minute phone interview to see if I was right for the “job.” He e-mailed me and sent me a very generic job description that was more like a newspaper ad than anything else.Well, hey, something smelled fishy about the whole thing, but if
What do people receiving them want to see, and in what format? And what do they not want?
Most of this section is really elaboration of the points listed as Do's and Don'ts above.
The majority of recruiters want to see personal details appearing immediately below the name. Most selectors prefer the date of birth to age, but if you think your age might be an issue (ie too young or too old), then leave it out altogether. A high percentage like to see some personal information, but they are not generally interested in age of children, religion or a photograph. Neither are they interested in the candidate's view of their own characteristics. Indeed, as these views are entirely subjective, they are often viewed with scepticism, which can have a negative effect.
Practically all recruiters like to see details of further education, degrees and professional qualifications. A surprising number are also interested in numbers of 'O'levels, 'A' levels and GCSE's(UK), or Grades and Statistics in the USA. Most want details of work related training, particularly those courses which are of reasonable length and lead to a formal qualification. The inclusion of foreign languages is important at all levels, and this trend is increasing.
Names of employers, dates of employmen
To promote your brand, you first have to be clear what it is, or what you want it to be. In essence, your brand should be unique. In a nutshell, it is what can be associated with your business and no other. Think of any hugely successful brand and you’ll know exactly what I mean.To identify what it is about your business that you should be promoting, take a piece of paper and make a list of the key points of your business operation that you’d like to be known for. Whether you’re selling a product or service, there will be elements of your operation that distinguish you from competitors.Your Unique Selling PointIdentifying your unique selling point involves also studying your market. What are your customers looking for?Remember that they will likely be looking for authenticity and originality. Often, they’ll pick your product over others if it, or your selling point, meets a need or solves a problem for them. We are emotio
This short article by Stephen Thompson, Managing Director and CEO of Top Professional Resumes Limited in the UK (http://www.top-pro-cvs.com), is a brief introduction to writing such a document yourself.
It is a fairly obvious truism that a good CV alone won't get you a job. However a bad CV will prevent you from getting an interview. Since your Resume is primarily a tool to help find a better job or career change, time spent on its proper preparation is a good investment.
There is room for some creativity, but not for gimmicks. What works today is a professional, business-like style and a focus on key achievements.
We believe the best way to explain the 'rules' of CV writing is to explain what you should always do and what you should never do.
Do's:
1. Always print your CV on good quality white or cream/buff paper or vellum. The size should be A4 for the UK, and Letter Size for the USA, Australia and most other countries or territories. The point is that it should be the size that, unfolded, will fit a standard file folder or lever-arch file.
2. Have your Resume typed or word-processed, with plenty of space between paragraphs, and allow for adequate margins. There's no need to have it professionally printed.
3. Use short paragraphs - preferably no longer than five or six lines
4. Proof read your CV and Covering Letter (another essential document) thoroughly to check for any errors, then get another pair of eyes to give it the once-over. It is surprising how easy it is to miss obvious spelling and other mistakes when you are immersed in it for a few hours. Somebody else will see it straight away.
5. Include your contributions at each one of your jobs. Give the more significant ones greater emphasis.
6. Allocate the largest amount of space to your most recent job.
7. List your activity with professional associations - but only if they're appropriate.
8. Keep a permanent file of your achievements, no matter how inconsequential they may appear to be, and update it regularly. This will be the source document for a good CV or Resume, whether you do it yourself or have it written professionally.
9. Before applying for any positions, ensure you send each of your referees a copy of your CV.
10. Send a brief, customised Covering Letter with each CV. This is an absolute must, but writing the Covering Letter needs to be very carefully done and is another topic in itself. Email us (info@top-pro-cvs.com) for advice.
11. Send your Resume within a week of a position being advertised, and in any event well within any stated timescale.
12. Re-read your CV before the interview as part of your final preparation. The likelihood is high that the interviewer will have done this just before he or she sees you, so the fresher it is in your mind the better.
Don'ts:
1. Never give reasons for leaving a job. In almost all cases, the reader can find negative connotations to even the best reasons. You're better off explaining in person, if you feel it appropriate, or of course if you're asked.
2. If the subject comes up, never use negative language about your former employer, rather emphasise your ambition and desire to move on to a more challenging environment.
3. If you feel they need to be mentioned, say to "humanise" your Resume, then do not take more than two or three lines to list hobbies, sports and social activities. If in doubt "leave them out". As a professional resume writer, I would very rarely include them at all. Nor would I include any other personal information such as your spouse's occupation or your personal philosophies - they can too easily provide a reason not to see you, the exact opposite of your intention!
4. There is no need to state 'References Available on Request'. It is assumed, so just clutters up the CV and uses space that could be put to better use.
5. For the same reason, never list references on the CV.
6. Do not give exact dates. Months and years are sufficient (ie May 1998 to December 2002 - always use 4 digits for the year, give it in full).
7. Never include the date your Resume or CV was prepared. If your search takes longer than a few months, (and it can if you don't invest in a professionally-written CV from Top Professional Resumes
8. Never include your work phone number unless your immediate boss knows you are leaving
9. Never state your personal objectives unless they are relevant to the position applied for.
10. Do not use professional jargon, and NEVER slang or colloquial terms.
11. Do not provide salary information on the CV. Save it for the interview, and only give it then if directly asked. If this information is requested before interview, state it in your Covering Letter.
The Interview-Winning Resume or Power CV - what recruiters look for.
What do people receiving them want to see, and in what format? And what do they not want?
Most of this section is really elaboration of the points listed as Do's and Don'ts above.
The majority of recruiters want to see personal details appearing immediately below the name. Most selectors prefer the date of birth to age, but if you think your age might be an issue (ie too young or too old), then leave it out altogether. A high percentage like to see some personal information, but they are not generally interested in age of children, religion or a photograph. Neither are they interested in the candidate's view of their own characteristics. Indeed, as these views are entirely subjective, they are often viewed with scepticism, which can have a negative effect.
Practically all recruiters like to see details of further education, degrees and professional qualifications. A surprising number are also interested in numbers of 'O'levels, 'A' levels and GCSE's(UK), or Grades and Statistics in the USA. Most want details of work related training, particularly those courses which are of reasonable length and lead to a formal qualification. The inclusion of foreign languages is important at all levels, and this trend is increasing.
Names of employers, dates of employment
There are two prevalent approaches to the development of Datawarehouse Architectures:Data Warehouse (DWH) bus architecture (introduced by Ralph Kimball) According to this approach the DWH is developed in phases. Each phase includes the development of a set of dimensional models which are linked together via conformed dimensions, thus forming a virtual ‘bus architecture’. Therefore, according to this approach, at the core of the DWH resides a denormalised dimensional data model, which handles data at the atomic level.The major advantages of this approach are inherited from the use of the dimensional model combined with the ‘conformed dimensions’ principle. This model’s simple and symmetric structure is easily understood by Business Analysts (easier than complex normalized data models). Moreover the so called ‘star schema’ allows the efficient execution of queries (less relational joins). The
2. Have your Resume typed or word-processed, with plenty of space between paragraphs, and allow for adequate margins. There's no need to have it professionally printed.
3. Use short paragraphs - preferably no longer than five or six lines
4. Proof read your CV and Covering Letter (another essential document) thoroughly to check for any errors, then get another pair of eyes to give it the once-over. It is surprising how easy it is to miss obvious spelling and other mistakes when you are immersed in it for a few hours. Somebody else will see it straight away.
5. Include your contributions at each one of your jobs. Give the more significant ones greater emphasis.
6. Allocate the largest amount of space to your most recent job.
7. List your activity with professional associations - but only if they're appropriate.
8. Keep a permanent file of your achievements, no matter how inconsequential they may appear to be, and update it regularly. This will be the source document for a good CV or Resume, whether you do it yourself or have it written professionally.
9. Before applying for any positions, ensure you send each of your referees a copy of your CV.
10. Send a brief, customised Covering Letter with each CV. This is an absolute must, but writing the Covering Letter needs to be very carefully done and is another topic in itself. Email us (info@top-pro-cvs.com) for advice.
11. Send your Resume within a week of a position being advertised, and in any event well within any stated timescale.
12. Re-read your CV before the interview as part of your final preparation. The likelihood is high that the interviewer will have done this just before he or she sees you, so the fresher it is in your mind the better.
Don'ts:
1. Never give reasons for leaving a job. In almost all cases, the reader can find negative connotations to even the best reasons. You're better off explaining in person, if you feel it appropriate, or of course if you're asked.
2. If the subject comes up, never use negative language about your former employer, rather emphasise your ambition and desire to move on to a more challenging environment.
3. If you feel they need to be mentioned, say to "humanise" your Resume, then do not take more than two or three lines to list hobbies, sports and social activities. If in doubt "leave them out". As a professional resume writer, I would very rarely include them at all. Nor would I include any other personal information such as your spouse's occupation or your personal philosophies - they can too easily provide a reason not to see you, the exact opposite of your intention!
4. There is no need to state 'References Available on Request'. It is assumed, so just clutters up the CV and uses space that could be put to better use.
5. For the same reason, never list references on the CV.
6. Do not give exact dates. Months and years are sufficient (ie May 1998 to December 2002 - always use 4 digits for the year, give it in full).
7. Never include the date your Resume or CV was prepared. If your search takes longer than a few months, (and it can if you don't invest in a professionally-written CV from Top Professional Resumes
8. Never include your work phone number unless your immediate boss knows you are leaving
9. Never state your personal objectives unless they are relevant to the position applied for.
10. Do not use professional jargon, and NEVER slang or colloquial terms.
11. Do not provide salary information on the CV. Save it for the interview, and only give it then if directly asked. If this information is requested before interview, state it in your Covering Letter.
The Interview-Winning Resume or Power CV - what recruiters look for.
What do people receiving them want to see, and in what format? And what do they not want?
Most of this section is really elaboration of the points listed as Do's and Don'ts above.
The majority of recruiters want to see personal details appearing immediately below the name. Most selectors prefer the date of birth to age, but if you think your age might be an issue (ie too young or too old), then leave it out altogether. A high percentage like to see some personal information, but they are not generally interested in age of children, religion or a photograph. Neither are they interested in the candidate's view of their own characteristics. Indeed, as these views are entirely subjective, they are often viewed with scepticism, which can have a negative effect.
Practically all recruiters like to see details of further education, degrees and professional qualifications. A surprising number are also interested in numbers of 'O'levels, 'A' levels and GCSE's(UK), or Grades and Statistics in the USA. Most want details of work related training, particularly those courses which are of reasonable length and lead to a formal qualification. The inclusion of foreign languages is important at all levels, and this trend is increasing.
Names of employers, dates of employmen
Whether you are just starting a new business or need a cash infusion, the idea of selling an ownership interest will come to mind at some point. The question is whether this is a good idea or not.A business is in many ways the realization of a dream. Instead of working to put money in the pocket of someone else, you are doing it for yourself. Hopefully, you are also starting a business in a field that you find incredibly interesting. As the old saying goes, work in a field you love and you will not feel like you are working. If you can meet this goal, the money will follow sooner or later.As with many things, running a business comes with a unique set of issues that have to be addressed. Sooner or later, one of those problems will be your cash flow. You may be going through a rough patch and need funds to get you through a slow couple of months. On a more positive development, business may be great yet you still need more cash because you simply can’t keep up with the pace of
10. Send a brief, customised Covering Letter with each CV. This is an absolute must, but writing the Covering Letter needs to be very carefully done and is another topic in itself. Email us (info@top-pro-cvs.com) for advice.
11. Send your Resume within a week of a position being advertised, and in any event well within any stated timescale.
12. Re-read your CV before the interview as part of your final preparation. The likelihood is high that the interviewer will have done this just before he or she sees you, so the fresher it is in your mind the better.
Don'ts:
1. Never give reasons for leaving a job. In almost all cases, the reader can find negative connotations to even the best reasons. You're better off explaining in person, if you feel it appropriate, or of course if you're asked.
2. If the subject comes up, never use negative language about your former employer, rather emphasise your ambition and desire to move on to a more challenging environment.
3. If you feel they need to be mentioned, say to "humanise" your Resume, then do not take more than two or three lines to list hobbies, sports and social activities. If in doubt "leave them out". As a professional resume writer, I would very rarely include them at all. Nor would I include any other personal information such as your spouse's occupation or your personal philosophies - they can too easily provide a reason not to see you, the exact opposite of your intention!
4. There is no need to state 'References Available on Request'. It is assumed, so just clutters up the CV and uses space that could be put to better use.
5. For the same reason, never list references on the CV.
6. Do not give exact dates. Months and years are sufficient (ie May 1998 to December 2002 - always use 4 digits for the year, give it in full).
7. Never include the date your Resume or CV was prepared. If your search takes longer than a few months, (and it can if you don't invest in a professionally-written CV from Top Professional Resumes
8. Never include your work phone number unless your immediate boss knows you are leaving
9. Never state your personal objectives unless they are relevant to the position applied for.
10. Do not use professional jargon, and NEVER slang or colloquial terms.
11. Do not provide salary information on the CV. Save it for the interview, and only give it then if directly asked. If this information is requested before interview, state it in your Covering Letter.
The Interview-Winning Resume or Power CV - what recruiters look for.
What do people receiving them want to see, and in what format? And what do they not want?
Most of this section is really elaboration of the points listed as Do's and Don'ts above.
The majority of recruiters want to see personal details appearing immediately below the name. Most selectors prefer the date of birth to age, but if you think your age might be an issue (ie too young or too old), then leave it out altogether. A high percentage like to see some personal information, but they are not generally interested in age of children, religion or a photograph. Neither are they interested in the candidate's view of their own characteristics. Indeed, as these views are entirely subjective, they are often viewed with scepticism, which can have a negative effect.
Practically all recruiters like to see details of further education, degrees and professional qualifications. A surprising number are also interested in numbers of 'O'levels, 'A' levels and GCSE's(UK), or Grades and Statistics in the USA. Most want details of work related training, particularly those courses which are of reasonable length and lead to a formal qualification. The inclusion of foreign languages is important at all levels, and this trend is increasing.
Names of employers, dates of employmen
I'm sure you've heard that the best way to achieve something is to have a clear understanding of your goal. The more detailed your picture or statement, the more likely you are to reach your desired milestone.Most people want to succeed in a career that is more fulfilling and meaningful than what they have now. In addition they want to be happy and live a good life. Of course each person has their own take on how they envision this goal.What is it that you want in your life? How do you picture your success? Can you describe your personal definition of success?As you think about your vision of success do you find any worries and concerns bubbling to the surface? It’s possible you have conflicting definitions of success simultaneously running around in your mind. Your internal conflict creates confusion and turmoil as you try to make progress toward a goal that's at cross purposes with itself.As a way to explore what’s happening within you, ask yourself the follow
4. There is no need to state 'References Available on Request'. It is assumed, so just clutters up the CV and uses space that could be put to better use.
5. For the same reason, never list references on the CV.
6. Do not give exact dates. Months and years are sufficient (ie May 1998 to December 2002 - always use 4 digits for the year, give it in full).
7. Never include the date your Resume or CV was prepared. If your search takes longer than a few months, (and it can if you don't invest in a professionally-written CV from Top Professional Resumes
8. Never include your work phone number unless your immediate boss knows you are leaving
9. Never state your personal objectives unless they are relevant to the position applied for.
10. Do not use professional jargon, and NEVER slang or colloquial terms.
11. Do not provide salary information on the CV. Save it for the interview, and only give it then if directly asked. If this information is requested before interview, state it in your Covering Letter.
The Interview-Winning Resume or Power CV - what recruiters look for.
What do people receiving them want to see, and in what format? And what do they not want?
Most of this section is really elaboration of the points listed as Do's and Don'ts above.
The majority of recruiters want to see personal details appearing immediately below the name. Most selectors prefer the date of birth to age, but if you think your age might be an issue (ie too young or too old), then leave it out altogether. A high percentage like to see some personal information, but they are not generally interested in age of children, religion or a photograph. Neither are they interested in the candidate's view of their own characteristics. Indeed, as these views are entirely subjective, they are often viewed with scepticism, which can have a negative effect.
Practically all recruiters like to see details of further education, degrees and professional qualifications. A surprising number are also interested in numbers of 'O'levels, 'A' levels and GCSE's(UK), or Grades and Statistics in the USA. Most want details of work related training, particularly those courses which are of reasonable length and lead to a formal qualification. The inclusion of foreign languages is important at all levels, and this trend is increasing.
Names of employers, dates of employmen
Shipping supplies are normally ordered in bulk. As a result, the manufacturers are often willing to give price discounts for those products that are purchased in bulk. Bulk-ordered shipping supplies include boxes, bags, tags, labels, and bubble wraps. Although there are several advantages to ordering shipping supplies in bulk, it is necessary to remember that safety is of utmost importance in the case of shipping supplies. As such, a shopper needs to ensure the quality of those products that he is purchasing at discounted rates.Often, many manufacturers offer discounted prices not only for bulk orders but sometimes also for individual items. These discounted rates are available for limited periods of time or during the off-season. However, there are also online shops that offer shipping supplies at discounted prices all through the year. Normally, these discounts are available for each and every purchase.Shopping.com, one of the Internet's largest shopping website, offers di
What do people receiving them want to see, and in what format? And what do they not want?
Most of this section is really elaboration of the points listed as Do's and Don'ts above.
The majority of recruiters want to see personal details appearing immediately below the name. Most selectors prefer the date of birth to age, but if you think your age might be an issue (ie too young or too old), then leave it out altogether. A high percentage like to see some personal information, but they are not generally interested in age of children, religion or a photograph. Neither are they interested in the candidate's view of their own characteristics. Indeed, as these views are entirely subjective, they are often viewed with scepticism, which can have a negative effect.
Practically all recruiters like to see details of further education, degrees and professional qualifications. A surprising number are also interested in numbers of 'O'levels, 'A' levels and GCSE's(UK), or Grades and Statistics in the USA. Most want details of work related training, particularly those courses which are of reasonable length and lead to a formal qualification. The inclusion of foreign languages is important at all levels, and this trend is increasing.
Names of employers, dates of employment, appointments and responsibilities are obviously essential, whilst many recruiters also want a brief description of the company and its business. Employment history should be in reverse chronological order beginning with the most recent job. Responsibilities and Achievements should be listed under each appointment rather than on a separate sheet.
There is a preference for the two page CV, although a significant number of recruiters find three pages acceptable, particularly for senior level appointments.
Top Professional Resumes also provide a completely FREE, no-obligation CV and Resume review service. If your present CV or Resume is not working for you, email it (mailto:review@top-pro-cvs.com) or fax it to us (+44 if outside UK, and drop the leading zero) to (0)7813 125606. We will respond as soon as possible.
Shameless marketing plug.
Top Professional Resumes (http://www.top-pro-cvs.com) prepare resumes and other job-search materials specially designed to grab an employer's attention and COMPEL him to give you an interview. Visit the website to see our Time Limited Special Offer, and take advantage of our Unique Risk Reversal Scheme.
Copyright Stephen Thompson and Top Professional Resumes Limited 2005.
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