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Different industries like different CVs, in my experience, IB or consultancy often prefer a longer one
However it doesn't mean you can copy and paste the same sentences, or worse the same paragraphs, all over the CV.
Having had to review CVs I put those in the bin. I was told I was biased at one employer so they interviewed someone who did that - they admitted I was right....
"You’re just a bad memory who doesn’t know when to go away" JR
Four years spanning two pages. Have to break it down by projects within jobs in order to fill it out a bit. It's as long as I can make it meaningful and avoid wasting the readers time.
Four years spanning two pages. Have to break it down by projects within jobs in order to fill it out a bit. It's as long as I can make it meaningful and avoid wasting the readers time.
You don't think agents can see through that and by filling it out you are wasting the readers time?
'CUK forum personality of 2011 - Winner - Yes really!!!!
Might not be rules but there is consensus, guidance, research and opinion and nearly all of those says 9 pages is too long.
That said everytime we have someone with 9+ pages they will defend it to their dying breath so guess the same will be true here.
Don't care about defending it, it works for me. Current contract was first contract I sent CV in for once I knew I was becoming available. DOn't get me wrong, I know the research, opinion etc. Sometimes though, something different doesn't hurt.
I've also worked at a client and had to review a load of CV's a few years back. Few were < 6 pages for technical roles. I did end up skimming huge sections but that did nobody any harm. If I'm looking for certain experience I don't need to read the whole thing. A colleague at the time said he'd bin anything over 4 pages which summed him up - bit of an idiot generally. To me there's something about giving people a fair chance and ensuring client co get the most suitable for the role. Binning a cv 'cause it's too long doesn't do that.
As mentioned I do like to have it a little shorter so will do some work on it.
You don't think agents can see through that and by filling it out you are wasting the readers time?
I'm hesitant to alter a winning formula.
Reviewing other replies, it looks like the average years per page in here is around four, something to aspire to when I have more experience. Until then I don't think submitting a one page CV will do
13 years, 3 pages. No fluff, no hobbies, no education. First page is profile, qualifications and my last role. Second page is my contract/consultancy stuff. Third page covers my "old" permie history as otherwise it'd stop at like 2014 which is way too soon.
I put a lot of effort into keeping it as short and concise as I can - every bullet point is solid experience, skills summary is a true representation and the intro profile is very much my "elevator pitch"
Don't care about defending it, it works for me. Current contract was first contract I sent CV in for once I knew I was becoming available. DOn't get me wrong, I know the research, opinion etc. Sometimes though, something different doesn't hurt.
I've also worked at a client and had to review a load of CV's a few years back. Few were < 6 pages for technical roles. I did end up skimming huge sections but that did nobody any harm. If I'm looking for certain experience I don't need to read the whole thing. A colleague at the time said he'd bin anything over 4 pages which summed him up - bit of an idiot generally. To me there's something about giving people a fair chance and ensuring client co get the most suitable for the role. Binning a cv 'cause it's too long doesn't do that.
As mentioned I do like to have it a little shorter so will do some work on it.
As I expected the focus is all on you. No thought about the audience of your CV. Usual thing when people have long CVs.
'CUK forum personality of 2011 - Winner - Yes really!!!!
You don't think agents can see through that and by filling it out you are wasting the readers time?
Not sure what you mean by that.
While poster only has 2 years experience it really depends on what they do how the 2 pages are filled. For example with my first permie role I could write tonnes after 1 year and I would still have stuff to tell you at the interview, but with my second permie role I would struggle to do the same. Same with some contracts.
"You’re just a bad memory who doesn’t know when to go away" JR
While poster only has 2 years experience it really depends on what they do how the 2 pages are filled. For example with my first permie role I could write tonnes after 1 year and I would still have stuff to tell you at the interview, but with my second permie role I would struggle to do the same. Same with some contracts.
Possibly but if he's got a pile of CV's all in the same format that he sees day in day out and then one comes in that is clearly lacking in long term experience that has much more information about a short period he's not going to spend the time wondering why and digging in to it.
If that's all the OP has then that's what he's got to do but if you can't fill 2 pages with a couple of years solid experience he's up against it to show he's a highly experienced specialist that can compete with the other guys in the pile with those years in.
'CUK forum personality of 2011 - Winner - Yes really!!!!
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