Reply to: Online CVs

[EddieNambulous]

I have learnt over the years that if it isn't in writing it isn't going to happen. I never go to an interview now if I haven't had an e-mail confirmation. Worst case scenario I can wave the e-mail around at the client offices saying look I do have an interview here and make the agent look like a right bloody arse!

Guess I've been pretty lucky so far then. All notified interviews have materialized as promised.

Then again, if I get any indications early on of dodgy/incompetent behaviour from an agent, I'll find a reason not to go any further with him/her/it regardless of how much I want the gig. It's just not worth the risk, especially these days.

Hmmm...on reflection, that should probably read "unusually dodgy/incompetent behaviour" else there'd be no agents left to deal with

[Ardesco]

So you actually deal with agents who think email is the most appropriate medium to inform you about such urgent matters?

I have learnt over the years that if it isn't in writing it isn't going to happen. I never go to an interview now if I haven't had an e-mail confirmation. Worst case scenario I can wave the e-mail around at the client offices saying look I do have an interview here and make the agent look like a right bloody arse!

[RichardCranium]

So you actually deal with agents who think email is the most appropriate medium to inform you about such urgent matters?

I once returned home from an interview to the email with the job description, who was to interview me, a map which had been sent about 2 hours after I set off.

All agents are tulipe. Live with it.

[Sysman]

Yes, it's very common. In France it's required. Some will bin it if it doesn't have one, some will ask for a photo before they can proceed. I dropped in to one agency with my CV, with no photo on it, and they whipped out a Polaroid from the top desk drawer and took one instantly! Photo shops in France do "special CV" offers, 40 or 80 ID photos at once: nobody would think of applying for a job without a good supply of photos.

Thanks. I'd forgotten about the French obsession with photos. An English colleague there had his passport stolen and he ended up sticking a photo on his UK driving license so that he had something official looking with a photo on it.

It's just come back to me, the French street hawkers did a roaring trade in "Plastifier vos documents" - plugging that into Google brings up lots of hits, so it's still a popular thing to do.

I might just nip to France to get stocked up. That's a good tip.

DOB is often required from the start. Also nationality. In Germany it's common to put your address on the CV. Etc.

What I had to do a couple of years ago was produce a certified copy of my degree certificate (easy peasy), and also get a transcript from my university which was essentially a list of subjects taken and marks per year. I'd never heard of such a thing before but fortunately I found I could order one online.

[EddieNambulous]

It also means I can spot the "You have an interview this afternoon" emails more easily.

So you actually deal with agents who think email is the most appropriate medium to inform you about such urgent matters?

[Fred Bloggs]

You could use my picture.

I'll use your avatar, thanks

[expat]

A couple of years ago I had a German agency bird on the phone trying to wedge my age out of me. I kept her going on the required skills for 15 minutes before she realised what I'd done and I let on

Last month I was asked for a photo, which I am told is quite commonly put on ze CV in ze Fatherland.* On request maybe, but I ain't putting my ugly mug up on the web.

* is this a request anyone else has had for jobs in Europe?

Yes, it's very common. In France it's required. Some will bin it if it doesn't have one, some will ask for a photo before they can proceed. I dropped in to one agency with my CV, with no photo on it, and they whipped out a Polaroid from the top desk drawer and took one instantly! Photo shops in France do "special CV" offers, 40 or 80 ID photos at once: nobody would think of applying for a job without a good supply of photos.

DOB is often required from the start. Also nationality. In Germany it's common to put your address on the CV. Etc.

[HairyArsedBloke]

I'd be tempted to send a picture of someone considerably younger and better looking than myself if I was asked for this I'm afraid.

You could use my picture.

[George Parr]

Well, the consensus is to publish so I'll give it a go. Thanks for the tips, I'll take them into account.

[Fred Bloggs]

I'd be tempted to send a picture of someone considerably younger and better looking than myself if I was asked for this I'm afraid.

[RichardCranium]

Last month I was asked for a photo, which I am told is quite commonly put on ze CV in ze Fatherland.

This comes up under discussion on LinkedIn from time to time as it is common in Merkinland.

The conclusion tends to be that those who request pictures are racist and/or ageist and/or religionist and/or whatever. It is so the recruiter can do selection by appearance.

Essentially, a requirement for a photo on a CV <> equal ops unless it is for a model or a body double.

[Sysman]

A couple of years ago I had a German agency bird on the phone trying to wedge my age out of me. I kept her going on the required skills for 15 minutes before she realised what I'd done and I let on

Last month I was asked for a photo, which I am told is quite commonly put on ze CV in ze Fatherland.* On request maybe, but I ain't putting my ugly mug up on the web.

* is this a request anyone else has had for jobs in Europe?

[RichardCranium]

Up to now I haven't published my CV online with Jobserve, Monster et al but the way things are going I will give this a go.

Get on with it.

If you have any niche skills make sure they are included on your CV; agents do keyword searches on these systems and that is how you then get calls.

BUT: for Monster, use a different email address. You WILL get loads of spam regarding work 'opportunities', stuffing envelopes, international money transfer jobs for a commission (from your account to theirs), 'CV writeing servisses' (scam), 'career retraining services' (scam), personal development services (scam), requests to use Indian software houses 'for all your developing needs' and so on within minutes of putting your CV on Monster.

I use a specific email address purely for work-related matters and nothing else. It makes spotting spam on my personal and professional and work email addresses easier and it easier to delete it without worrying about deleting a genuine job offer. It also means I can spot the "You have an interview this afternoon" emails more easily.

With hindsight, I wish I had used a different email address for the jobs-by-mail lists.

My question is - how much personal info do you normally include on such a document?

Personally, I put everything because I already exist on the 'Net. I have web sites and professional body contacts online and all sorts so it is too late for me to hide.

All you need is what it take for an agent to make a decision about you and how to contact you. Your town, county and country will suffice for location. For contact details, they will prefer to use a mobile number over a landline and they expect to see an email address to put on their database.

Note that when an agent submits a CV to a client, they remove all information that might let the client contact you direct.

PS: do include whether you have a driving licence and if it is clean, say so. Do not put date of birth or age. Some recommend putting nationality; that's probably a good idea if the answer is 'British' otherwise don't.

PPS: this is not often appreciated, but, there is NOTHING wrong with having a section on page 1 of your CV entitled 'KEYWORDS' followed by everything you can think of that an agent would type in when looking for someone like you. Nobody in their right mind would ever think the worse of you for doing so. And the agent will probably delete that section before submitting it anyway.

[Fred Bloggs]

I point blank refuse to give age too when asked. My CV is written such that it is not possible to gauge my DoB within 10 or 15 years either way, purposely, because I'm 52 now. Luckily, in process engineering so far at least, age has been irrelevant in the project teams I've worked in.

BTW, the morning after you publish your CV on Jobsite etc.... standby to be bombarded with desperate agencies fishing for leads for the next 3 or 4 days. Your mobile had better have its battery fully charged!

[TykeMerc]

Most of the usual personal info is already available in the public domain, via electoral roles, phone books etc etc

Just stick name, address, phone number, email addy

Oh and some on here may suggest bank details

I wouldn't put address down, at the most I put the town name in, but certainly not Postcode or Street.

When it comes to the actual contracts then they need full details, but until then keep your address off the web if you can.

As Fred just said DoB, religion and interests you definitely don't publish.