Reply to: CV length and number of contracts to include

[Area-51]

ruskithebear,

Thanks for your reply,

Please could you email me at andy-burns@sky.com as you dont have any contact details on your profile.

Then perhaps I could quiz you further on your methods.

Thanks
Andy

[rootsnall]

Mine is an out of control number of pages, I have just kept tagging on new contracts onto the front for 10 years plus. It is still working well so I haven't revamped it. They can ignore the later pages quite easily and I doubt it is often printed out these days. I'd make sure all the companies you have worked for still appear in some form or other with dates. I have often got work because of someone spotting where I worked years ago. It also provides them with a better way of tracking down someone who might know you or atleast know of you.

[malvolio]

Was that for first, second or third though?

I find that it is should only be mentioned if you came first!!!

On a serious note:

I am currently writing my first contracting CV and further to a previous post, I am now detailing the projects, experience and technologies that I have been involved in during my permie terms.

Luckily, I have worked for IT Service companies, and thus have been involved in various projects from Exchange 2003 migrations through to Citrix implementations, Cisco network installations, etc, etc.

However, this level of variation, brings such problems of:

1. Should I include smaller projects, on the grounds that they are not as important technologies?

2. Do the large projects make more impact?

3. Should it be technologies, projects or service led?

A slightly different take on the original post but may open the discussion topic!!

Also, did anyone watch Frst Blood last night? What a classic film!!!

Ta
Andy

Quick answer - what role are you applying for? Because that's what the CV is trying to sell. As I've said many times, I'm looking for proof you can do the job I'm looking to fill. That means work experience, not paperwork!

Finally if you're going to list technical skills by product, keep it generic as much as possible and keep it relevant - Windows is sufficient, I wouldn't be interested that you've worked with W95, W98, W2k, NT3.5, NT4, XP PRo....

[ruskithebear]

Was that for first, second or third though?

I find that it is should only be mentioned if you came first!!!

On a serious note:

I am currently writing my first contracting CV and further to a previous post, I am now detailing the projects, experience and technologies that I have been involved in during my permie terms.

Luckily, I have worked for IT Service companies, and thus have been involved in various projects from Exchange 2003 migrations through to Citrix implementations, Cisco network installations, etc, etc.

However, this level of variation, brings such problems of:

1. Should I include smaller projects, on the grounds that they are not as important technologies?

2. Do the large projects make more impact?

3. Should it be technologies, projects or service led?

A slightly different take on the original post but may open the discussion topic!!

Also, did anyone watch Frst Blood last night? What a classic film!!!

Ta
Andy

I too had a similar predicament Andy, went through a long process of refining my CV with so called professional CV writers, HR managers and other bods in my field, I now tweak my template CV with the relevant job buzzwords fire and forget - it seems to work and I am getting good interest from my chosen job applications. PM me if you want some guidance

[Jaws]

I've only recently started myself, it took me a while to get it sorted out. I'm a developer, and I had a whole page devoted to the 6 years of experience gained in my last job, about 2/3rds of it was listed under .net (as this is what I want to focus on) and the rest on vb6/asp etc. Under each section (it was easy to divide it as the company I used to work at completely put a halt to all vb development years ago), I had quite a list of bullet points explaining keys things I had done whilst using the technology, features used, design patterns etc and also touching on other tools I had used.

Initially I did attempt to build my cv up based on projects, but I found far too much duplication so adopted the above approach and highlighted anything different done project to project in a new bullet point.

It appears to clearly highlight my level of experience and a few agents have said I had a good cv. Although they could have just been referring to the front page for all I know.

[Area-51]

Yeah the education bit is probably a bit superfluous, especially the awards I received for sack racing at junior school.

Shame to see them go though, I haven't won anything since then. Nothing else to brag about.

Was that for first, second or third though?

I find that it is should only be mentioned if you came first!!!

On a serious note:

I am currently writing my first contracting CV and further to a previous post, I am now detailing the projects, experience and technologies that I have been involved in during my permie terms.

Luckily, I have worked for IT Service companies, and thus have been involved in various projects from Exchange 2003 migrations through to Citrix implementations, Cisco network installations, etc, etc.

However, this level of variation, brings such problems of:

1. Should I include smaller projects, on the grounds that they are not as important technologies?

2. Do the large projects make more impact?

3. Should it be technologies, projects or service led?

A slightly different take on the original post but may open the discussion topic!!

Also, did anyone watch Frst Blood last night? What a classic film!!!

Ta
Andy

[swamp]

Long copy sells.

Top 1/2 of the first page is the most important, followed by the rest of page 1 and 2. After that things get more brief, but it still runs to four pages.

[trsisko]

hi

saw some american resumes was only 1 page, but he had a weblink to his portfolio which was stacked 7 pages long

his actual cv was 1 page since he recruit's too and therefore he know's he only looks at the first page, although in the uk I think we are more prone to a maximum of 2 pages

[ruskithebear]

That's a shame, my best work was at least 3 contracts ago!

At least that fake contract when I had a year off 5 years ago won't be scrutinised now. I can finally stop bribing my mate to provide references.

Me too!!

[PAH]

Just had a similar conversation with the head of HR for a global media company. Her and her direct reports look at the last two jobs or at the most last 3 years for contractors.

Quote "We really don't care what a contractor done ten years ago, they are generally only as good as their last 2 contracts anyway."

That's a shame, my best work was at least 3 contracts ago!

At least that fake contract when I had a year off 5 years ago won't be scrutinised now. I can finally stop bribing my mate to provide references.

[ruskithebear]

Just had a similar conversation with the head of HR for a global media company. Her and her direct reports look at the last two jobs or at the most last 3 years for contractors.

Quote "We really don't care what a contractor done ten years ago, they are generally only as good as their last 2 contracts anyway."

[PAH]

Yeah the education bit is probably a bit superfluous, especially the awards I received for sack racing at junior school.

Shame to see them go though, I haven't won anything since then. Nothing else to brag about.

[NotAllThere]

Some might like to see if you have a degree. Especially if it was from a time a degree meant something.

I have no other educational information on my CV. It's irrelevant.

[TheFaQQer]

Yeah, first sheet is mostly profile, key skills, and education details, then all the contracts in reverse order, so newest first.

Of course, I'm sure it's never actually seen like that once the agencies have butchered it.

If you're struggling for space, then I'd be inclined to cut the education, if you have decent experience.

[PAH]

I've got the last five years in detail (only three roles in my case), the next 12 as one-liners (heading and one line of description). I've ignored my permie life altogether.

Plus of course you've got your Profile, Key Skills and Key Acheivements separated out and bullet-pointed at the top, haven't you...?

Yeah, first sheet is mostly profile, key skills, and education details, then all the contracts in reverse order, so newest first.

Of course, I'm sure it's never actually seen like that once the agencies have butchered it.