CV length

[bobspud]

Are you sure?
Put yourself in their position.

Most of the Tim they use key word search and don't bother reading the CV at all. So the less you have in your CV the smaller the hook. My CV is set up as five pages with all the information they need on page 1 as a summary. The rest is there to refer to if they want to.

However the number of roles that now ask for yet more cover pages and skill summaries to be sent is starting to bug me.

[northernladuk]

Where is it at? . I'll give a go
Always happy to consider other views. Some of us are just natural contrarians .
So what do you do? Show detail for only has x years or x contracts, then change the detail depending on the contract you're submitting the CV in for?

The link is at the top of this thread in yellow.

I change the detail to highlight the skills required to delivery the piece of work they want doing. Everything else to them is just noise. Your CV becomes almost a business case of what you have done in the same area so telling them what you can do for them.

I am not a fan of using builders as examples but if you are looking for someone to build a wall for you does it matter if the builder can do the plumbing and gas? One guy can rattle on for hours telling me how he's plastered this, rewired that oh and built a wall. The other guy comes up and evidence 15 walls his built over the years. I know who I'm going to be interested in.

What about engaging suppliers. Have you ever been in a presentation and the supplier just rattles on about what they can do? Or do they tailor the presentation to what they can do to delivery to the requirements?

Think about it from the client and agency perspective. What do they want, how do they look for it and decide you are right. Do they want 8 pages of hard work to read or do they want someone that can prove they can deliver what they want as clearly as directly as you can. Sounds like you need to be more client focussed and sell yourself rather than this is me, take it or leave it.. because you will be getting some 'leave its'. To say oh well, it works ok for me is not the best approach.

[billybiro]

If you're struggling, why not go to one of these online seminars about CV writing that pop up every so often.

I did one a while back and it was an eye-opener about what they recommended, and does make a difference.

Care to summarise with a few bullet points the most eye-opening recommendations?

[SuperZ]

The link is at the top of this thread in yellow.

I change the detail to highlight the skills required to delivery the piece of work they want doing. Everything else to them is just noise. Your CV becomes almost a business case of what you have done in the same area so telling them what you can do for them.

I am not a fan of using builders as examples but if you are looking for someone to build a wall for you does it matter if the builder can do the plumbing and gas? One guy can rattle on for hours telling me how he's plastered this, rewired that oh and built a wall. The other guy comes up and evidence 15 walls his built over the years. I know who I'm going to be interested in.

What about engaging suppliers. Have you ever been in a presentation and the supplier just rattles on about what they can do? Or do they tailor the presentation to what they can do to delivery to the requirements?

Think about it from the client and agency perspective. What do they want, how do they look for it and decide you are right. Do they want 8 pages of hard work to read or do they want someone that can prove they can deliver what they want as clearly as directly as you can. Sounds like you need to be more client focussed and sell yourself rather than this is me, take it or leave it.. because you will be getting some 'leave its'. To say oh well, it works ok for me is not the best approach.

Very valid points - ta.
I've registered for the webinar and will attend with the thinking "my cv is great, my cv is great..........................my cv is rubbish" probably

[northernladuk]

Very valid points - ta.
I've registered for the webinar and will attend with the thinking "my cv is great, my cv is great..........................my cv is rubbish" probably

I'd be interested in your opinion when you come off it. We do have the odd person with massive CV's like yourself so your feedback would be useful so we can put that forward when they do pop up.

[Bee]

I'd be interested in your opinion when you come off it. We do have the odd person with massive CV's like yourself so your feedback would be useful so we can put that forward when they do pop up.

They don't have experience in CV screening, that's why we have CVs with more than 3 pages.

[SuperZ]

I'd be interested in your opinion when you come off it. We do have the odd person with massive CV's like yourself so your feedback would be useful so we can put that forward when they do pop up.

My CV is still great .
Seriously, the webinar was great. Definitely made me look at my CV in a different way and particularly liked the format of CV doing away with the chronological ordering but do worry some recruiters/managers may not like that (they love looking for gaps ).

I'm going to spend some tiime rewriting mine from scratch and create a few different versions of it with a database of examples/cases studies I can drop into them too, depending on the contract requirement.

Also really liked the coverage of Linked In too and how it can compliment your CV and help create that personal branding.
Thanks for pointing the webinar out to me - much appreciated

[northernladuk]

My CV is still great .
Seriously, the webinar was great. Definitely made me look at my CV in a different way and particularly liked the format of CV doing away with the chronological ordering but do worry some recruiters/managers may not like that (they love looking for gaps ).

I'm going to spend some tiime rewriting mine from scratch and create a few different versions of it with a database of examples/cases studies I can drop into them too, depending on the contract requirement.

Also really liked the coverage of Linked In too and how it can compliment your CV and help create that personal branding.
Thanks for pointing the webinar out to me - much appreciated

You are welcome. I'd be wary of the non chronological thing though. I think it's maybe OK for senior positions or true consultants but for the vast majority of bum on seat contractors you need change the clients and agents views first before giving them something they don't understand. Their requirements run the show and if they can't handle a non chronological CV then it's not going to work. But that's my opinion. That said the smart contractor will know when and where to use what type of CV so it's an extra string in the bow.

Keep us informed of how you get on.

[TanyaWWW]

Be Succinct

As someone who's had to trawl through many CVs for both BAs and Tech I definitely vote 2-4 pages. For BAs I am incredibly fussy - for a line of work where doco and comms is a major deliverable, if you have typos or waffle on, I'm going to reject you. For tech the format differs, and tables with your skills listed and confidence level is fine.

I attended the CV webinar last night and agreed with pretty much everything - except I think LinkedIn has overtaken CVs, at least for London. With that in mind, I do think your CV should be similar to LinkedIn albeit a version customised to the role you're applying for (if you can be bothered)

Think how much money and research would go into making sure LinkedIn has an effective format - add to that that it's a format recruiters are familiar with. I get my mates to proof my CVs - ones in the same industry. If you're Nelly No Mates, just cruise LinkedIn for popular profiles and copy them - the art of originality is in concealing the source

I have had agents tell me my CV is too brief given the seniority of the role I'm going for - people want more detail. I kind of see their point, however I also know how little time hiring managers have to read through CVs, so brevity is key

[Boney M]

Mine is 4-5 pages.

1st Page - Personal details and IT Quals
2nd/3rd page - last 3 gigs in relevant detail inc projects.
4th/5th page - All contract gigs for last 14 yrs including first permie gig.
bottom half of 5th page - Skillsets and technologies covered