Length of CVs

[Taita]

That CUK's might have sent him the CV's to look at rather than him identifying us from CV's?

I am a clot!

[CoolCat]

Having spent the last few months getting much more involved in searching through the CV database to find CVs I find it incredible in this day and age that contractors are still producing Cvs of 9 plus pages . There is also a direct correlation between the contractors who are available and the length of CVs. So the chances are that if someone is available who appears to have the skills that are required the chances are ruined by a long CV.

To be fair I have reviewed a good number of CVs of CUKers and have found almost all of them to be really good.
I have also found that the majority of contractors who I leave a message with or send an email to never call me back. initially frustrated at this and knowing how you guys feel about agents I now just happily assume that if they were available then they would call me back

A good 20% to 30% of voice mails I get from agents I cannot make out their name and/or contact number, sometimes poor quality recording due to rubbish recording system at the phone company, or rubbish quality line when the agent was calling, noise in background in agents office, too quiet, or whatever. If you really want to get a message through drop them an email...

[northernladuk]

A good 20% to 30% of voice mails I get from agents I cannot make out their name and/or contact number, sometimes poor quality recording due to rubbish recording system at the phone company, or rubbish quality line when the agent was calling, noise in background in agents office, too quiet, or whatever. If you really want to get a message through drop them an email...

Riiiiiiight... and they will reply to a email way ahead of a phone call.. You do post some rubbish.

[SueEllen]

So are you saying you totally leave out roles more than 10 years ago? I put them on but with just a title so it doesnt look like I've been bumming around for that time.

Yep.

The reason I do that is I've turned up to meet clients and have seen the CV the agent has sent over. A lot of them just chop the number of roles. They either go 5 roles back or 5 years back. 5 roles is tulip when you have had a few short term contracts.

They do however leave in stuff after roles such as qualifications.

Clients who are wise let you see the CV the agent has given them as some agents can change wording. This is why you must always have a copy of your own CV with you at interview.

[northernladuk]

Yep.

The reason I do that is I've turned up to meet clients and have seen the CV the agent has sent over. A lot of them just chop the number of roles. They either go 5 roles back or 5 years back. 5 roles is tulip when you have had a few short term contracts.

They do however leave in stuff after roles such as qualifications.

Clients who are wise let you see the CV the agent has given them as some agents can change wording. This is why you must always have a copy of your own CV with you at interview.

All of this. Who cares what you did 10 years ago except you? When clients are looking for a specialist to do a specific task it is totally irrelevant. Only a client looking for a permie would be bothered about you bumming around in the distant past.

I also take a copy of my CV but did come a cropper once. I tailor mine and through a mix up with agent putting me forward for two different roles at the same time I brought the wrong tailored one in and just my luck I had to produce my copy of the CV for the first time ever. Bit of an uncomfortable moment trying to convince the client I wasn't lying or making them up to suit the role but landed the gig. Funny how the interviews that don't run smoothly tend to be the ones that land you the gig.

[MyUserName]

If you are looking at my CV how can you tell that I am a CUKer?

Despite our (and his) claims to the contrary DA is actually not a bad guy and will help people with thing (like their CV) if he has time.

[MPwannadecentincome]

Funny how the interviews that don't run smoothly tend to be the ones that land you the gig.

Aaah that explains the 2 failures in the last week I had at getting off the bench!

[cojak]

Despite our (and his) claims to the contrary DA is actually not a bad guy and will help people with thing (like their CV) if he has time.

+1

[petergriffin]

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?

[eek]

Yep.

The reason I do that is I've turned up to meet clients and have seen the CV the agent has sent over. A lot of them just chop the number of roles. They either go 5 roles back or 5 years back. 5 roles is tulip when you have had a few short term contracts.

They do however leave in stuff after roles such as qualifications.

Clients who are wise let you see the CV the agent has given them as some agents can change wording. This is why you must always have a copy of your own CV with you at interview.

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.