NJS 4389 Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 I was going to email Stevie and ask for his opinion but decided to widen the floor as it were. When I was job hunting last year I came across a lot of mentions of this unwritten rule about limiting a CV to two pages max. Now I know from when I've been involved in recruiting in the past that I have had a negative response to people with 10 pages of "here is what I did everyday for 3 years in each and every role I've had" but I'm now finding that 2 pages is pretty limiting. I had it down to a decent view last year but now having added my most recent role it's spread onto a thrd page. Additionally I spoke to an agent yesterday who told me his client had asked for some additional technical info which I sent this morning but now he's came back and said they can't submit separate documents so would I mind incoroprating it into my CV? - this would take it onto a fourth page. Should I just do this for this one occasion? Ideally I think a one or two page summary along side a much more detailed "appendix" would be the best way forward so someone could make the supposed snap decision and chuck it in the bin or decide to look further. I suppose you could argue that's what the first interview is for as well. Thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brock Manson 0 Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 I don't see how 4 pages would be a problem if they've asked for it. Have you tried using something like bullet points to see if it saves space? Had a pretty in depth chat with a guy in recruitment and he basically summed it all up by saying that you need to ensure that ultimately show the important stuff. Highlight qualifications and key words in bold rather than reams of text that is a chore to read. So long as you can scan through your CV in a minute or so and take out the important stuff then the number of pages shouldn't matter so much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJS 4389 Posted July 5, 2012 Author Share Posted July 5, 2012 Aye, its bullet pointed already and uses tables to separate roles. Theres also the view that you should tailor it to the application but sometimes I feel like saying "that's what I've done so deal with it". Of course you should get guidance from the agent as to what their client wants but as I've said before agents are variable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemmill 44995 Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 Tailoring it to roles, i'm the same. It's a big enough arse pain updating the thing once. To do it for different roles is just too much to ask. I'd rather not have that job if that's what they're after. I'm the same with interviews. I don't really work in accountancy any more, but when I did I didn't know any technical stuff off the top of my head. I knew where to go to find it but there was no point in memorising that shit cos there was manuals with it all in. So I always told myself that if they asked me a technical question and I didn't know the answer off the top of my head, then that just wasn't the job for me. Basically just making excuses for my own ineptitude, but fuck them, I do not want to be the sort of person that memorises that drivel and if that's who you're looking for, you've got the wrong man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin S. Assilleekunt 1 Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 I started doing this CV, but then a voice in the back of my head said, "What are you, a fagggg??"?!!!?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChezGiven 0 Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 (edited) Thoughts? Create multiple versions of the CV. I do think you need to focus on keeping to 2 pages because your last role should be the most relevant. I started my career in 1998, the role i was in represents the bottom of the ladder in my field, how much information on that needs to be on my cv. It currently has 2 sentences. My last role before this one takes up about 1/3 of the first page. I have a section for publications, abstracts etc so it goes on to a 3rd page too but its not great imo to do that. Edited July 5, 2012 by ChezGiven Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Jay Sea 0 Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 This post bears no relevance to the title of the thread but i'm working on a competency based job application and there's one competence 'Leads from the front' that has got me fucking absolutely pummelled 110%. Spent too long on the form i think. Got some good examples but i've reached saturation point like a just wanna cut and paste from some other dweebs cv and can't see a 'model' answer on t'inter. Fuck it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemmill 44995 Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 I hate that kind of thing. What's the idea, you have to tell them a time you lead from the front? I'm drawing a blank from my life too. Good luck with it anyway! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin S. Assilleekunt 1 Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 Create multiple versions of the CV. I do think you need to focus on keeping to 2 pages because your last role should be the most relevant. I started my career in 1998, the role i was in represents the bottom of the ladder in my field, how much information on that needs to be on my cv. It currently has 2 sentences. My last role before this one takes up about 1/3 of the first page. I have a section for publications, abstracts etc so it goes on to a 3rd page too but its not great imo to do that. WHo would have thought in 1998 that just over a decade later you would have single-handedly discovered the Higgs-Bosom particle? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoveTheBobby 1 Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 Probably the two most annoying persuits known to mankind - ironing, fucking about with CV's . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Jay Sea 0 Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 I hate that kind of thing. What's the idea, you have to tell them a time you lead from the front? I'm drawing a blank from my life too. Good luck with it anyway! Basically, chap, it's bollocks about managing teams, leadership on decisions, accoutability, managing risk, etc, etc. If the competece was tailored more towards sucking-off fat sweaty-hairy-arsed gadgies in the bogs at lunch-time, for nowt, i'd have no problem getting something down on paper but as it is, i'm struggling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McFaul 35 Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 I was going to email Stevie and ask for his opinion but decided to widen the floor as it were. When I was job hunting last year I came across a lot of mentions of this unwritten rule about limiting a CV to two pages max. Now I know from when I've been involved in recruiting in the past that I have had a negative response to people with 10 pages of "here is what I did everyday for 3 years in each and every role I've had" but I'm now finding that 2 pages is pretty limiting. I had it down to a decent view last year but now having added my most recent role it's spread onto a thrd page. Additionally I spoke to an agent yesterday who told me his client had asked for some additional technical info which I sent this morning but now he's came back and said they can't submit separate documents so would I mind incoroprating it into my CV? - this would take it onto a fourth page. Should I just do this for this one occasion? Ideally I think a one or two page summary along side a much more detailed "appendix" would be the best way forward so someone could make the supposed snap decision and chuck it in the bin or decide to look further. I suppose you could argue that's what the first interview is for as well. Thoughts? I was going to email Stevie and ask for his opinion but decided to widen the floor as it were. When I was job hunting last year I came across a lot of mentions of this unwritten rule about limiting a CV to two pages max. Now I know from when I've been involved in recruiting in the past that I have had a negative response to people with 10 pages of "here is what I did everyday for 3 years in each and every role I've had" but I'm now finding that 2 pages is pretty limiting. I had it down to a decent view last year but now having added my most recent role it's spread onto a thrd page. Additionally I spoke to an agent yesterday who told me his client had asked for some additional technical info which I sent this morning but now he's came back and said they can't submit separate documents so would I mind incoroprating it into my CV? - this would take it onto a fourth page. Should I just do this for this one occasion? Ideally I think a one or two page summary along side a much more detailed "appendix" would be the best way forward so someone could make the supposed snap decision and chuck it in the bin or decide to look further. I suppose you could argue that's what the first interview is for as well. Thoughts? I write them every week, and I never ever go over three pages. 99% of employers don't want to read the bible, they want cold hard facts on two sides. As for going to four, well if its' filled with content like, "Nobel Peace Prize Winner" fine, if not try to avoid it. I know it's an obvious thing to say but be as relevant in every sentence as you possibly can be, and read it when you're happy with it but put yourself in the eyes of a potential employer, and how it would come across to you if you were taking someone on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruler of Planet Houston 1 Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 (edited) Mine never goes over a single page - I find it is best to custom design each CV to suit the job you go for. i.e. leave out things that are going to be irrelevant to the employer and focus on your key skills for that role. This keeps it brief and makes you look dedicated to that particular role. And I like to do a nice design for mine which is the norm for people in the creative industry but I don't see why you couldn't do the same in any industry. It might just stand out from the rest and get your foot in the door a little easier. Have a look at some of these... http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/04/01/10-handy-tips-for-web-design-cvs-and-resumes/ Edited July 5, 2012 by Ruler of Planet Houston Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJS 4389 Posted July 6, 2012 Author Share Posted July 6, 2012 Well I sent through a more detailed 3 page CV this morning and I've now got a phone interview next week - so the shit begins again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wykikitoon 20233 Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 Mine is 3 pages and it will stay like that, I can whittle down my earlier roles as time goes on but I would struggle to get mine onto 2 pages. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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