How long do you reckon a CV should be?

[Crispypie]

great advice from saintbletch, definatly 2 pages only. When applying for my current IT job i was getting nowhere until i trimmed my cv down to 2 and removed the padding then had 3 interviews in quick succession.

[1976_Child]

Name: Peter Ompey

 

D.o.B: My ma hadn't her period in ten years so dont aks me

 

Education: I know's not to get my ma's man in a rage. He ain't me da, but he beats me as he is.

 

Work experience: Dis one time my'uncle Maurice needs some finance to get high. He taked me to dis place an I jack off into a cup for medical research.

 

Hobbies: Trainspottin. My'uncle Maurice taked me to Fratton station man, to looksee at all them well nice trains leaving my town man.

 

Desires: Awww, man! Dargg! To be on one them nice trains wif a single ticket, daww.

[dubai_phil]

There is one follow on piece of advice.

 

You create a 2 page CV.

 

You also create for your own purposes a few pages of actual notes on your CV expanding each of the basic points - so that when you are asked for an interview you get asked "what did you do at XYZ company" you have a short but interesting reply. What you mustn't do is ramble on with a 20 page CV when you get to interview.

 

There are huge numbers of books and training courses and methodologies that HR people use. My old MNC trained every one of it's management in a process (and book) called Top Grading (BS Bingo we called it)

 

Basically the manager doing the recruiting scores the personal attributes education & experience in some 20 categories and those form the criteria for selection. At the interview your job is to understand that they do not want "a nice chat" they are looking to see if you can do the job. So again, your CV should be checked and possibly tweaked to emphasise certain aspects before you send it to different prospective employers.

 

If you are going for a Sales Export job, then it should NOT focus on all the great things you did as Salesman for Avon calling door to door. Likewise if it is for a retail job, perhaps not wise to use your 2 pages explaining how good you are in Business to Business selling. Do some research and KNOW what you are applying for.

 

(e,g, Dear Mr Branson, I see that your airline is regarded as one of the world's best. I have 30 years experience of working on Submarines and I believe that you need somebody with my level of experience as you have vacancies for Airline Pilots. I have flown in an airplance twice.....

Should be more Dear Mr Branson I have 30 years of experience in self enclosed hostile Pressue Sensitive environments and believe that my skills may be of assistance in your Space Tourism Engineering Department)

 

Honestly, I've seen them (but not that extreme an example)

[aintforever]

Anyone who can't fit their CV on two pages obviously has communication problems.

[Dr Who?]

No longer than 3 pages, but 2 if possible. People tend to just put long lists on their CV and they are the same for all roles!

[Draino76]

If anyone wants a banking job in London; give me a shout. I pocket £3.5k for every hire.