Agent doesn't understand CVs so KISS!!!

[malvolio]

How hard is it to bin all the tulip CV's, it's not as though there is a shortage of staff out there at the moment.

Go look at my Blog. I recently tried to explain why the CV for the agency and the CV for the hiring manager are mutually incompatible. What we need is 3D CVs...

[Mr Crosby]

How hard is it to bin all the tulip CV's, it's not as though there is a shortage of staff out there at the moment.

[Svalbaard]

Strange thing to say. What I did 10 years ago built the foundations for what I'm doing now, and surely that's widely applicable. Yes I work in different technology areas now but it's more of a specialism of what I did before (I now do WAS/MQ, I used to do network, firewalls, UNIX admin, web servers, Lotus Notes for my sins) and I'm always glad I've had the rounded experience in IT which my CV demonstrates.

I wouldn't be happy if my clients thought I was a one-trick pony.

I'd agree with this, but I do keep these roles down to two or three lines.

I get to review lots of CVs as a contractor at my current client co for both permie and contractor roles. Most of them are laughable and it does make you wonder what carp gets filtered by the agencies before submission.

[darmstadt]

If you don't try to make "one CV to fit all" and tailor them correctly no one should have a problem fitting things into 3 pages, especially as in most case's things you did 10 years ago bear no relevance to what you might be doing today

I don't really agree with that as things I did 20 years ago are still very relevant today and in some cases people are still using the applications and/or operating systems. Admittedly I have cut down the detail but when clients see my CV they tend to see someone who has had a wealth of experience, in a variety of industries with a multitude of OS'es and applications which will bring them benefits.

Remember most agents have absolutely no idea what all that bumpf is on your CV yet the end customer will and if they're any good and your CV makes for an interesting read then you may well get the gig quicker than a flimsy thought out page 3'er

[sydb]

in most case's things you did 10 years ago bear no relevance to what you might be doing today

Strange thing to say. What I did 10 years ago built the foundations for what I'm doing now, and surely that's widely applicable. Yes I work in different technology areas now but it's more of a specialism of what I did before (I now do WAS/MQ, I used to do network, firewalls, UNIX admin, web servers, Lotus Notes for my sins) and I'm always glad I've had the rounded experience in IT which my CV demonstrates.

I wouldn't be happy if my clients thought I was a one-trick pony.

[Not So Wise]

Most agents follow the line 3 pages tops and highly agree with that

Certain roles/industry's might require more but virtually nothing in IT permidom and defiantly nothing in IT contracting requires more

CV are like flyer's/magazine pull outs, you have a short amount of time to catch the eye of the agent/client to make them interested in meeting you, if you bore them to death with to much detail they will stop reading half way though

If you don't try to make "one CV to fit all" and tailor them correctly no one should have a problem fitting things into 3 pages, especially as in most case's things you did 10 years ago bear no relevance to what you might be doing today

[Hotlatte]

I have over 9 years of experience which includes over 4 years of contracting experience. I used to have a 3 page long CV which was a condensed version of my skills and experiences. However, I have recently added more details / content to my CV that has now stretched it upto 5 and half pages which has been welcomed (as far as i know) by the agents. Personally, I feel it is way too long but I wont want to undersell myself by cutting it short.

I would like to understand exactly what is the acceptable length for a CV as some agents state that they had even submitted 9 pages long resumes.

[JoJoGabor]

I went out with an agent last week after securing a role, and he says that for the average role he is getting around 200 CVs, of which around 190 are from Indians, which are just dire. THe odd few that are good enough to get a call back, he can tell immediately they are blagging it. His agency now has an unofficial policy of not furthering applications from India.

[xchaotic]

I agree most CVs are rubbish, including mine, I think CUK community is too small for that, but on an entrepreneurial forum in US, folks do peer-reviews of their CVs, works pretty well, if you're prepared to receive a lot of constructive criticism.
But like I said, even if you strip all your personal info, it's still way too easy to identify people...

[swamp]

Most contractors' CVs are rubbish. I've reviewed a number of my peers and some of them have not taken my harsh criticism well.

I think this agent is spot on, and long may it continue for my CV will continue to propagate to the top of pile in the midst of such dross

[Not So Wise]

Take it never recruited for a position? Otherwise you would not be wondering why the agent would be saying all that.

Recently had:

• CV's with 8+ pages (some for guys with less than 3 years commercial exp)
• CV's in 5 + colours
• CV's that after reading them twice I could not even begin to guess what the guy did
• Virtually 60% of CV's listing non relevant hobby's and/or pets name
• CV's with more spelling mistakes/grammatical errors than I could count (from English applicants, the foreign ones never had one)

And these were the ones that made it past the agent, would hate/love to see the ones that failed at that stage

Recruiting for a position is an eye opening experience, makes you wonder how some people ever get a contract

[minestrone]

To be honest in my experience of trying to look for contractors they are stating what to 99% of us here is just pure common sense but believe me this kind of c**p does appear in CV's that land on their desks. The trash I got while searching was truely staggering particularly from offshore candidates.

There were CV's done in powerpoint, embedded excel, colours, candidate photos, 5 or 6 different fonts etc you name it.

I can only imagine this guy is either pretty naieve as you say or has been bitten before and is expecting a rash of trash offshore CV's again.

Although I would never acually word a request like this I can feel his pain....

I agree with all of that.

[northernladuk]

Do I detect an agent who doesn't really understand CVs, and, worse, doesn't understand what IT contractors do?

To be honest in my experience of trying to look for contractors they are stating what to 99% of us here is just pure common sense but believe me this kind of c**p does appear in CV's that land on their desks. The trash I got while searching was truely staggering particularly from offshore candidates.

There were CV's done in powerpoint, embedded excel, colours, candidate photos, 5 or 6 different fonts etc you name it.

I can only imagine this guy is either pretty naieve as you say or has been bitten before and is expecting a rash of trash offshore CV's again.

Although I would never acually word a request like this I can feel his pain....

[TheFaQQer]

I had an agent ask me last week "have you got any eBusiness Suite experience?".

My response was "well, my first eBusiness Suite project was nine years ago, before it was even called eBusiness Suite".

[SillyMilly]

This in an ad on js today:

"Please present a uniform CV, 2-3 pages max, a clear and well presented document. Any CV's forwarded with complicated grids and random data scattered throughout the CV, all bullet points and no scenario's, risk not being selected. It is essential that you also forward a small note stating your commercial experience working with Oracle business Suite, and maybe Informatica. Any exposure to Digital Products, Systems would be desirable.

Must be well educated with excellent written and spoken English

Now, I agree with some of it, God knows why you'd put a grid in a CV, and I keep mine down to under 3 pages, but is this for the benefit of the client, contractor or agent?

Do I detect an agent who doesn't really understand CVs, and, worse, doesn't understand what IT contractors do?

And why the 'small note'? Shouldn't the CV be enough?

Finally - does he want someone with excellent English to teach him? Scenario's .............FFS