Tips on getting your CV noticed, or taken seriously

[Eera]

I'm seeing loads of CVs coming through my in tray at the moment, and there's a recurring set of mistakes that people make that either gets an instant reject or gets them put on the "maybe if we're desperate at some point in the future" pile. Hopefully these tips can help some of you. Bear in mind I'n in commercial consultancy so they may not be appropriate for other industries.

 

Formatting: time after time we see CVs with all personal details, number of pets, awards they won at Junior school athletics. It simply isn't necessary. We want to know:

 

Who you are

How to get hold of you

Work experience latest to oldest, highlighting how your experience is relevent to us

Relevent qualifications, no-one cares about your GCSEs any more, again highlight how your qualifications are relevent if they're not exact.

Hobbies are not necessary, at the moment there's recommendations from some quarters not to put them in, others say to do it as it makes you more rounded. Just consider how they make you look; if you spend half the year being a Christian missionary we'll wonder about your commitment to us. If your job entails being a commander, bird watching and book reading don't give that impression of your personality.

References. "On request" is acceptable as we only contact them after we decide to make you an offer.

Please don't try and make your CV cute or insert a photo - it will be all over the office in a flash.

 

You can download templates free from any decent recruitment site.

 

We need a cover letter saying how you will benefit us, if you display that you've researched the company, fantastic. We get so many of "Dear Sir, I want to work in YOUR COMANY as YOUR COMPANY does what I want to do." Oh yeah? What's the company name then?

 

Research what the company does. About 1/3 of the CVs I see say "I want to get a job in the mining industry". We aren't a mining company. We consult on site but it's only a few members of staff. If I see that it's usually a Reject as I can guarantee that they'll come to us, spend a few months on site and allow themselves to be poached so it's not worth the time and effort on our part.

 

Again, basic templates are available.

 

Unrealistic salary expectations are the kiss of death. It's a bit of a funny one as you really have to do your homework here. If you've been working in a government department and want to come over to consulting, you'll have to take a pay cut; the reason is you simply don't have commercial experience. We also know how much government departments pay and can tell instantly when you're asking for a 40% pay rise.

If you spent 10 years in commercial consulting, then 5 years in project management, you only have 10 years experience, not 15, so don't nominate yourself as Principal level.

If you've spent 5 years doing asbestos monitoring and are seeking to move into civil engineering, then you're graduate level and can't ask to be put on as a Senior.

If the job advertises itself as paying "above award rates", you're not really able to negotiate that as you come under a government award which sets down what wage you're paid at what level. If you can find out the award you'll see what they're offering though it can be obscure - my OH is a diesel fitter and comes under sheet metal workers award rather than motor mechanics.

 

Sponsorship is a funny one, we do it, but only as a last resort. If your visa process is underway then we're far more likely to look at you rather than someone saying "I need everything done for me". It's a big gamble on our part as we've had some real idiots come through simply because the gt taken on sight unseen which has made us think twice. If you can come over for a holiday at some point companies will probably be glad to meet you as a few seconds with a person tells us far more than your CV ever could. Send your CV over with a note saying "I'll be over in X weeks and will be glad to meet you to discuss any opportunities" A couple of days before send another note, and ring when you get here. It's not good sitting back and hoping things come to you, be as proactive as you can. If you go to a recruitment fair and get talking there, then you know that company is prepared to offer sponsorship so you're on far better footing.

 

Many companies have "expressions of interest" on their HR website. We prefer you to send to this rather than go thorugh an agent as we have to pay the agent up to 15% of your salary as a commission, and it's what we employ HR for in the first place.

 

Basically you have to convince us that we want you to work for us. Typos, bad grammar, misplaced apostraphies are all negatives even for non-academic jobs. Ask people to proof read it and see if it gives them the impression you're trying to give us.

 

Good luck

[Guest The Pom Queen]

A great post Eera thank you for sharing.

[sykestykes]

In addition to Eera's brilliant post I would also add this:

 

Don't send a standard CV off for every job. Tailor your CV to specifically fit the job you are applying for. Read the job advert carefully and make sure your skills match what the employer is looking for. Use spell check and make sure it looks easy on the eye. Don't waffle or use unnecessarily complicated words - set out clearly what your skills are.

 

This - and keeping it relevant and concise - worked for me.

 

Sue x

[Six it]

This info is all gold for someone like me who is looking to move over from NZ this year. Thanks

I'm an environmental consultant over here (9 yrs)

 

and i wondered Eera if the lack of OZ planning/legal experience would be a great hindrance. I am very familiar with things like regional plans and the resource management act but obviously its all new for OZ.

 

 

I was thinking that i had better reduce my expectations regarding senior level as for the short term I’m not much better than a junior ( in some ways)

 

 

 

cheers

 

 

Six it

[Ike]

Just come across this. Very helpful! :-)

[Joebloggs]

The best thing to have on your CV is Australian Citizen

 

That really helps your prospects. No.1 tip.

[Eera]

@six it. Sorry for not answering; got stranded in Brisbane by floods then my motherboard blew up. Generally you'll find the codes and laws in western countries are pretty similar. We employ people from the UK to come into our environmental division as it takes a couple of days with the Standards to get up to speed, plus we can mentor them to make sure nothing hideously wrong gets sent out to clients. Ultimately you're probably better off trying for a position that your experience warrents, rather than years, but hell, for emails are cheap, the more you get out there the better your chances.

 

Just emphasise your experience and point out how relevent it is even though its from another country.

 

good luck

[Quinkla]

I have also done some work in recruitment here and can echo Eera's comments.

 

Australia doesn't smile on wacky CVs or jazzy layouts. Clean, factual, bullet pointed, reasonable sized font, etc. Also, the CVs I have seen here tend to be longer than UK ones. You don't have to keep it to two pages but obviously the first page is the most important.

 

Photos are uncommon but not a definite turn off. But make sure the photo shows you in a good light, especially when photocopied in black and white. Also, avoid it if you look unusually old or young for the post or differ in any other way from society's norms.

 

Contact details are important and don't forget that e-mail addresses matter. qtpie@hotmail.com or rogerramjet@gmail.com may look great to your friends but may send unwanted signals to a potential employer.

 

The cover letter is just as important. It needs to be two or three pages long making a sales pitch for the job - showing how points in the CV are directly relevant to the post being offered. Use the job description and capability requirements as sub-headings in the letter - it makes the recruiter's life so much simpler. And finally, a neat, legible, sensibly sized signature works well. Nothing too small, large or flamboyant.

[BuddysMum]

All very helpful. I think this thread should be made a "sticky".

 

Thank you all.

[DannyCoyles]

Should cover letters really be 2-3 pages long? I was told no more than 1 page. I always feel like there is important information being left out but didnt want to make it to long.

 

Any tips for IT support roles, im sure all CV's look alike and its hard to make yours stand out.

 

Thanks

[Quinkla]

Should cover letters really be 2-3 pages long? I was told no more than 1 page. I always feel like there is important information being left out but didnt want to make it to long.

I suppose it varies from employer to employer. If they have a list of eight key skills you have to demonstrate, you'd not be able to write anything meaningful on a single page. Three pages of dense type would not be a joy to wade through, but if it is set out clearly and logically, using each of the key skills as a heading it would be easy to read and easy to find the information that is needed.

 

Of course, if you submit a separate application form or skills summary sheet (as distinct from the CV) then the cover letter should be short and won't really count for anything.

[Guest]

If you think about the number of cv's that recruiters and agents see, you need to get to the point and quickly. Concentrate on what you've achieved at work, rather than what your duties were. Doing is a given, achieving is what employers want. That's what I need to see from cv's that come across my desk.

 

Ken

[Guest jaki5]

Do recruiters ever get to look at cv's from african countries? hmmmmmmmm just wondering:arghh:

[steen1976]

Should cover letters really be 2-3 pages long? I was told no more than 1 page. I always feel like there is important information being left out but didnt want to make it to long.

 

Any tips for IT support roles, im sure all CV's look alike and its hard to make yours stand out.

 

Thanks

 

A 3 page cover letter will be binned immediately.

 

I go with a 2 page CV and a 1 page cover letter. Using a 10 point type should be able to get plenty imformation onto a single page but the last thing you want to do is waffle.

[Life on easy street]

I have also done some work in recruitment here and can echo Eera's comments.

 

Australia doesn't smile on wacky CVs or jazzy layouts. Clean, factual, bullet pointed, reasonable sized font, etc. Also, the CVs I have seen here tend to be longer than UK ones. You don't have to keep it to two pages but obviously the first page is the most important.

 

Photos are uncommon but not a definite turn off. But make sure the photo shows you in a good light, especially when photocopied in black and white. Also, avoid it if you look unusually old or young for the post or differ in any other way from society's norms.

 

Contact details are important and don't forget that e-mail addresses matter. qtpie@hotmail.com or rogerramjet@gmail.com may look great to your friends but may send unwanted signals to a potential employer.

 

The cover letter is just as important. It needs to be two or three pages long making a sales pitch for the job - showing how points in the CV are directly relevant to the post being offered. Use the job description and capability requirements as sub-headings in the letter - it makes the recruiter's life so much simpler. And finally, a neat, legible, sensibly sized signature works well. Nothing too small, large or flamboyant.

 

I was told.

For a junior position's

A one-page cover letter with a two page C.V attached.

With bullet points for each of the skill requirements listed in the job advert.

The fine details of your skills should be in your C.V.

[DannyCoyles]

A 3 page cover letter will be binned immediately.

 

I go with a 2 page CV and a 1 page cover letter. Using a 10 point type should be able to get plenty imformation onto a single page but the last thing you want to do is waffle.

 

Thats the approach I have taken in the past and have been successful with it for mil level positions, but when applying for higher positions I havent had any success even when meeting the criteria etc.

 

I have done some recruitment myself for junior positions and hate reading the same stuff over and over again. Someone said about stating acheivements rather than duties. Something I dont put on my cover letter or CV. Must remember that one.

 

For the job I am in now, i applied without thinking about it and actually used a cover letter that was written for a different position with minor changes. All depends on the person reading it I guess!

[Quinkla]

A 3 page cover letter will be binned immediately.

 

I go with a 2 page CV and a 1 page cover letter. Using a 10 point type should be able to get plenty imformation onto a single page but the last thing you want to do is waffle.

I think the point is that these rules apply in the UK but expectations in Australia are different. I guess the rules are also different from sector to sector. Where I work a single page cover letter and 2 page CV would probably be heading binward. And a 10 point type would also not win any friends.

[DannyCoyles]

I think the point is that these rules apply in the UK but expectations in Australia are different. I guess the rules are also different from sector to sector. Where I work a single page cover letter and 2 page CV would probably be heading binward. And a 10 point type would also not win any friends.

 

Thanks for this info, its really good to get some advice from the other side of the table. I do feel that I am selling my self short on my cover letters, I have only had 6 IT jobs but only had 7 interviews (but applied for 100's) and the one I didnt get I told them I didnt want the job! I must admit I didnt realise the importance of the cover letter.

 

Thanks again

 

Danny

[Bobbsy]

I'm retired now but, in my old job, used to get piles of CVs crossing my desk every week.

 

I agree with the vast majority of what was said, but a couple of comments:

 

First, never let your CV go longer than 2 pages even if you have the most interesting work experience in the world.

 

Controversially, I'd say include a date of birth with the rest of your personal details. Potential employers can probably work this out from your education and employment history anyway, so you may as well make it easy.

 

Hobbies? I agree that usually this is not necessary but, if they happen to be in any way relevant, put them in. If you want a job as a TV cameraman, by all means say photography is a hobby for example. However, collecting stuffed teddy bears might not be so useful for a bouncer!

 

If you have a visa to live and work in Australia, by all mean say so.

 

A bug bear of mine is self promotion based on opinion. Don't tell me you're a "dynamic self starter with good people skills". From a reference that might mean something; from the applicant, it's a waste of ink.

 

As for the cover letter, unless there's a compelling reason to go longer, stick to a single, page and don't let that get cramped. You just need to say what sort of job you're after and why you are applying to the company in question.

 

Finally, never forget that the cover letter and CV have one function: to get you an interview. You don't need to give a life story and don't need to do a hard sell--facts are the important bit. However, DO remember that the average CV is glanced at for maybe 30 seconds if you're lucky. Make sure your layout, spelling, punctuation and grammar are perfect. You only have one chance to make a first impression--and your CV and cover letter are that chance.

 

Bob

[Paul1Perth]

Make sure you have taken embarrasing things off your facebook site. I've heard of a few people who might have gotten a job and then it all turned bad when facebook was checked.

 

Stephanie Rice would be able to vouch for this.

[Quinkla]

I'm retired now but, in my old job, used to get piles of CVs crossing my desk every week.

 

I agree with the vast majority of what was said, but a couple of comments:

 

First, never let your CV go longer than 2 pages even if you have the most interesting work experience in the world.

 

Controversially, I'd say include a date of birth with the rest of your personal details. Potential employers can probably work this out from your education and employment history anyway, so you may as well make it easy.

 

Hobbies? I agree that usually this is not necessary but, if they happen to be in any way relevant, put them in. If you want a job as a TV cameraman, by all means say photography is a hobby for example. However, collecting stuffed teddy bears might not be so useful for a bouncer!

 

If you have a visa to live and work in Australia, by all mean say so.

 

A bug bear of mine is self promotion based on opinion. Don't tell me you're a "dynamic self starter with good people skills". From a reference that might mean something; from the applicant, it's a waste of ink.

 

As for the cover letter, unless there's a compelling reason to go longer, stick to a single, page and don't let that get cramped. You just need to say what sort of job you're after and why you are applying to the company in question.

 

Finally, never forget that the cover letter and CV have one function: to get you an interview. You don't need to give a life story and don't need to do a hard sell--facts are the important bit. However, DO remember that the average CV is glanced at for maybe 30 seconds if you're lucky. Make sure your layout, spelling, punctuation and grammar are perfect. You only have one chance to make a first impression--and your CV and cover letter are that chance.

 

Bob

This might be true for speculative applications; for applications in response to a job advert you will need to give more information and answer the specific capabilities, criteria, etc. This might be on a special application form or in a separate document but often it will be in the letter. These letters will be longer than one page.

[Bobbsy]

This might be true for speculative applications; for applications in response to a job advert you will need to give more information and answer the specific capabilities, criteria, etc. This might be on a special application form or in a separate document but often it will be in the letter. These letters will be longer than one page.

 

I'm going to disagree here. Especially on applications for an advertised job, normally all you would need to say is something along the lines of "I would like to apply for the VTR editor position advertised in the January 31 edition of Broadcast Magazing (Reference 11-005). As per my Curriculum Vitae, I trained in Television Production at Ravensbourne College and have been working in the industry since 1996". If there's a list of specific experience asked for, You can got through this in a couple of sentences, again referring to your CV.

 

If there's a formal application form requiring more information (either on paper or online) by all means fill that in, but brevity gives you a far better chance of getting the essential information read--and getting your application on the "interview" pile. If you go too long, you run the risk of hiding important information amongst the dross that gets skimmed over--and, believe me, when you have a pile of 50 applications, you skim!

 

Bob

[steen1976]

I think the point is that these rules apply in the UK but expectations in Australia are different. I guess the rules are also different from sector to sector. Where I work a single page cover letter and 2 page CV would probably be heading binward. And a 10 point type would also not win any friends.

 

Very true it is about the Uk.

 

What industry do you have experience of? And what point type would you recommend?

[Quinkla]

What industry do you have experience of? And what point type would you recommend?

Public service. 12pt (or 11 if you must).

[steen1976]

Public service. 12pt (or 11 if you must).

 

I think 12 is too large and looks unprofessional.

 

I'm sorry but I'm going to have to disagree about a 3 page cover letter and I know I don't have experience of the Australian jobs market. But I cannot believe an Aussie will be different to a Brit and that if 50 people apply for a job they can be bothered to read through 3 pages. 1 page and to the point.

 

Guess I'll find out. :biggrin: