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CV length nowadays

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    #41
    Originally posted by CheeseSlice View Post
    I'd be interested to know what others do with the really old ones. Do you just delete them as if they never happened, or do you put something like 'various positions between Years X-and-Y' ?
    I just deleted mine but they aren't that relevant anyway. I started in engineering, moved to heavy current electrical and then in to computers so as much as I enjoyed reading them for nostalgia they were useless. I remember the day I got rid of them though, an agent commented on the fact they'd guess I was XX years old based on the CV. Didn't like that at all so dropped the last 10 years of experience that wasn't relevant to stop agents working out how old I am if nothing else.

    For the old stuff, I have a line on my CV that says 'engagements prior to mmm-yy are detailed on LinkedIn'. I have a full history on LI and then keep my CV to the last 5 years max (depends on what fits). I have my LI profile link on my CV which invariably gets removed by agents.
    I like that idea. I'm gonna try that but it's still not going to be everything to stop them guessing my age.
    'CUK forum personality of 2011 - Winner - Yes really!!!!

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      #42
      Originally posted by CheeseSlice View Post
      I'd be interested to know what others do with the really old ones. Do you just delete them as if they never happened, or do you put something like 'various positions between Years X-and-Y' ?
      The totally immaterial stuff before I got into IT I just don't put on there. The last line on my CV just says:

      Various 1st and 2nd Line Roles - Date to Date

      I then have a couple of one-liner roles, with no description. The first description is of my first consultancy role in 2010. I think like NLUK says, it's pretty gutting to erase your history - especially when you still remember when those roles were the important ones, taking up half a page and getting you interviews. My entry into consultancy was quite a big break - it's now reduced to two short bullet points!

      But, ultimately - it's a long time ago and apart from giving some information on the path I've taken it's pretty immaterial

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        #43
        Originally posted by northernladuk View Post
        I just deleted mine but they aren't that relevant anyway. [..] I remember the day I got rid of them though, an agent commented on the fact they'd guess I was XX years old based on the CV. Didn't like that at all so dropped the last 10 years of experience that wasn't relevant to stop agents working out how old I am if nothing else.
        I did the same thing recently: I graduated in 1995, but I've removed the dates from my university degrees, and the first job listed on my CV started in 2005. So, it would be plausible for me to be 10 years younger than I actually am (47).

        As for length, mine is currently 2½ pages. That includes 1 page just for my qualifications, and I've trimmed out the ones which are no longer relevant (e.g. for Windows XP). I could re-format it to fit on 2 pages, but I think that a list of bullet points is easier to read than one big paragraph. So, word count might be a better metric than page count; mine is about 700 words.

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          #44
          I have also removed anything that might give my age, dates of graduation etc, old dead skills that no youngster would have heard of. Only in a meeting yesterday, the head of IT in current client was saying how young people will transform IT there, and those without youth eliminated from old ways of thinking.

          Next I might get botox and a wig for video call interviews.
          First Law of Contracting: Only the strong survive

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            #45
            Originally posted by _V_ View Post
            Next I might get botox and a wig for video call interviews.
            Tried that, didn't seem to work for some reason.

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            'CUK forum personality of 2011 - Winner - Yes really!!!!

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              #46
              CV - 2 pages
              Design portfolio - 4 pages

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                #47
                I like CVs that are brief and to the point.

                I hate CVs that cover decades of irrelevant or obsolete technologies.

                I don't care what version of Delphi you used 20 years ago - particularly if you are the type who tries to hide their lack of relevance with arrogance, bluster and war stories.

                I especially hated the CV with two pages on the candidates philosophy on software development which raised just about every red flag possible.
                Last edited by TheDude; 5 October 2021, 12:07.

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                  #48
                  Originally posted by TheDude View Post
                  I like CVs that are brief and to the point.

                  I hate CVs that cover decades of irrelevant or obsolete technologies.

                  I don't care what version of Delphi you used 20 years ago - particularly if you are the type who tries to hide their lack of relevance with arrogance, bluster and war stories.

                  I especially hated the CV with two pages on the candidates philosophy on software development which raised just about every red flag possible.
                  I like short cvs as well. The trouble is, 95% of agents have no idea and are no more than call centre staff meaning you have to cram in what I consider to be not very relevant stuff to grab their attention.

                  An 'agent' working for one of the then so called big agencies some time ago, once said to me during a phone conversation that it was 'difficult to determine what your role was'! This despite 'Test Analyst' being clearly stated in each role description. I mean what hope have you got?
                  I couldn't give two fornicators! Yes, really!

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                    #49
                    The best CV is simply a tag cloud, because basically, all agents do now it match buzzwords on the CV to buzzwords on the job advert.

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                    First Law of Contracting: Only the strong survive

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                      #50
                      Mine is 4 pages,

                      I don't see the point in compacting it, clients aren't obliged to read it all are they, and i doubt agents manage to get halfway down the first page.

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