Length of CVs

[SeekingIT]

Indeed!

My first request upon confirmation that I've got an interview is to get a copy of the CV as sent from the agent. At least then I know what the agent has changed and can gauge my reaction from that.

+1

[cherhill]

Mine never goes over 4 pages. Any work over 10 years ago is always a one liner. Pointless putting skills from that far back.

[evilagent]

Is it acceptable to send a reduced version of you CV, in other words a resume, comprising only the last 5/10 years, and then a sentence like: "A longer version of this CV is available on request" or does it look lame?

Or which other wording would be acceptable?

A reduced version should be about 2 pages, focussing on last 3-5 years experience.
Anything before that is pretty much irrelevant, unless it's continuous experience of a particular skill-set.

One-liners for anything over 5 years ago, unless it was a massive long project.

If your agent is any good, he/she should help to tailor CV to role, highlighting relevant stuff.

Nothing wrong with tailoring CVs, although am surprised at earlier posts regarding agents sending modified CVs to client. You need to be the one making the changes, and be happy about them.

(These agents actually "doing work" such as changing CVs instead on getting the candidate to change them gives a bad impression to us indolent sods charging a fortune for doing not much!)

[petergriffin]

One-liners for anything over 5 years ago, unless it was a massive long project.

If your agent is any good, he/she should help to tailor CV to role, highlighting relevant stuff.

Thanks Evilagent. On my current cv I have one-liners for anything earlier than 2005. It was an agent advising me to remove everything over 10 years ago. I am happy to do that but I am not happy with wanting to give the impression that this is what I've done straight after college.

[SueEllen]

Thanks Evilagent. On my current cv I have one-liners for anything earlier than 2005. It was an agent advising me to remove everything over 10 years ago. I am happy to do that but I am not happy with wanting to give the impression that this is what I've done straight after college.

It's standard advice.

The roles are irrelevant to the majority of clients.

Obviously keep old copies of CVs in case they ask about them.

[evilagent]

Thanks Evilagent. On my current cv I have one-liners for anything earlier than 2005. It was an agent advising me to remove everything over 10 years ago. I am happy to do that but I am not happy with wanting to give the impression that this is what I've done straight after college.

Don't remove, just write a line for the time spent and your role there.

Don't "remove" things, as you may want to show continuous employment.

If you are not happy, don't do it. It's your CV, and you have to stand by it in an interview.

[petergriffin]

Don't remove, just write a line for the time spent and your role there.

Don't "remove" things, as you may want to show continuous employment.

If you are not happy, don't do it. It's your CV, and you have to stand by it in an interview.

Thanks Evilagent.

[flipFlop]

Any work over 10 years ago is always a one liner. Pointless putting skills from that far back.

It is important to include all of yours skills from the year dot, whether twenty thirty or forty years old.

[NCOTBAC]

It is important to include all of yours skills from the year dot, whether twenty thirty or forty years old.

Is it chuff. You are trying to demonstrate you are an expert in your field and can deliver. Dead technology and different skills from years gone by is just going to show the client you are not in touch with your market and it's needs.

If an accountant pointed out that he was knowledgeable of tax affairs ten years ago and was a dab hand at Lotus 1-2-3 you wouldn't touch him with a bargepole.

[flipFlop]

Is it chuff. You are trying to demonstrate you are an expert in your field and can deliver. Dead technology and different skills from years gone by is just going to show the client you are not in touch with your market and it's needs.

If an accountant pointed out that he was knowledgeable of tax affairs ten years ago and was a dab hand at Lotus 1-2-3 you wouldn't touch him with a bargepole.

So you say, "chuff".

Not all skills from ten, twenty, thirty, forty years ago are "dead". Sometimes the client wants those old yet current skills. But you, as a "chuff" do not realize it.

Fortran - for example - is more than forty years old and scientific organizations still demand it, don't they, "chuff"?