C.V. experts

[Mobileman]

Lo all,

well after 10 years at my current company im gonna be made redundant due to the company being bought out

I am looking into a few options such as setting up my own business and possibly even relocation for the new company if the money was right. Dont really want to live outside the north east and done the whole travelling back on a friday and its a nightmare

anyway im sprucing up my c.v as it hasn't be touched in 11 years, my current cv is what i would call a chronological cv apparently most people tend to use a performance style cv these days ?

anyone got any tips or advice on this ?

[Brydo666]

A few points from me, I've looked through hundreds of CV's recently and managed to recruit the right people in a variety of jobs so this may be valuable to you.

These days companies are getting CV's thrown at them left right and centre with the recession and what not, the first thing I look for when I look at a CV is a persons age and their key skills. This straight away cuts out all the bullshit - I was looking for an IT Manager in January and about 75% of applicants were people in their mid 20's from technical call centres. Those that don't put their age on it, I'd look at their previous work history and work out an average age from that.

Key skills, list what the job requires. Not sure your line of work but for a project manager I'd be looking for someone who's key skills are managing within tight deadlines and have good change management experience - in my place however, we see a project manager and a change manager as two completely different jobs - the joys of recruiting for a blue chip company.

When listing experience, don't explain gaps between employment if there are any - if your skills and experince look good you can explain this at interview/over the phone. Don't list any jobs that are no longer part of your current career path. This I guess comes down to your age, but I'd rather only see the six months someone has spent as a trainee legal counsel rather than that and then the four years at Asda stacking shelves. Again - if you can't fill up your experience with interesting stuff, your dates of education should cover it.

What sort of career are you looking to go for right now? I could strip personal details off a few good CV's and send them over for a rough guide if that would help.

[jaguar982]

Hey Chris i wouldnt mind having a look at a few CVs please could be of help i also have been stuck in past with not knowing the RIGHT answer ie what improvments have you made in your present role, have you ever taken a shortcut to acheive an end the honest answer for everybody is yes if i say no you would know im lying i once answered yes to that and they seemed quite shocked

jag

[blaggard]

I could strip personal details off a few good CV's and send them over for a rough guide if that would help.

It might be nice to do that and up them here for reference, I'm sure there are many who would find it useful.

[Mobileman]

What sort of career are you looking to go for right now? I could strip personal details off a few good CV's and send them over for a rough guide if that would help.

Thanks Chris, my areas of expertise are, Operations and Purchasing , Distribution & Logistics

[TwoPlAnKs]

the first thing I look for when I look at a CV is a persons age

Well that's illegal for a start.

[Neo\nsc]

can you pm me some of these cv's plz chris im in the middle of updating mine and have no clue how i should set it out

[blaggard]

Well that's illegal for a start.

OK, I'll ask, why?

[coin-op]

OK, I'll ask, why?

Correct. Next it will be illegal to look at their sex.

It may well be illegal to sack someone on grounds of age or sex (redundancy for example) but I'm sure the answer when employing somebody is he/she was considered the best applicant - end of story.

[blaggard]

Correct. Next it will be illegal to look at their sex.

It may well be illegal to sack someone on grounds of age or sex (redundancy for example) but I'm sure the answer when employing somebody is he/she was considered the best applicant - end of story.

Exactly, this is NOT planet TwoPlanks thankfully!

[JonEp]

I Think you might find it may just be...

http://www.yourlegalrights.co.uk/emp...nation-at-work

Discrimination in employment on the basis of age is now illegal. This means you have protection from age discrimination when applying for a job, in the terms and conditions of your contract and in promotions, transfers, dismissals and vocational training. Your employer may also be responsible for how their agents act. You are also protected from age-related victimisation or harassment.

A Better link from the UK Government :

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employme...rk/DG_10026429

or

Age discrimination
It's against the law to treat you unfairly (discriminate against you) at work because of your age. It's against the law to discriminate against you for being too young or for being too old.
The law about age discrimination only covers employment, adult education and training. There's no law which covers age discrimination in other areas. This means that companies like insurance companies and companies offering financial services are still allowed to discriminate against you because of your age.
Back to top

Who does the law apply to
The law applies to you if you're in work or if you’re applying for a new job. It applies to you if you're an agency worker. It also applies to you if you need to get a reference from a company you used to work for. Your employer isn't allowed to refuse to give you a reference when you leave a job just because of your age.
The law applies to you regardless of how many people work at your firm or how long you’ve been working for them.
The law doesn't apply to you if you're in the armed forces or if you're an unpaid volunteer.

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/...on_at_work.htm

[Brydo666]

Well that's illegal for a start.

I don't think it is, I'd think it's illegal to refuse someone based on their age. When I look for their age I'm curious to what experience they have.

In this current situation there are lots of people out there with lots of experience that I'd be keen to hire over someone with less experience. Yes, I guess you could argue "How do you get experience if you don't get hired" but there is a ladder to climb for that.

[pumpman]

[SHOWTOGROUPS="80"]test[/SHOWTOGROUPS]ignore this

[Brydo666]

Some example CV's as promised.

[SHOWTOGROUPS="80"]http://www2.zippyshare.com/v/55672349/file.html[/SHOWTOGROUPS]

We interviewed each of these guys, one was unsuitable, one got the job and one is on standby for consideration if another similar role becomes available.

I've stipped most personal details from these, for all I know you could be on here - or someone who used to work with you.

[freakzilla]

I don't think it is, I'd think it's illegal to refuse someone based on their age. When I look for their age I'm curious to what experience they have.

In this current situation there are lots of people out there with lots of experience that I'd be keen to hire over someone with less experience. Yes, I guess you could argue "How do you get experience if you don't get hired" but there is a ladder to climb for that.

you could also argue that the person with more experience is looking for an easy time and could be set in their ways when the younger person with less experience may be willing to learn and adapt to any quirks that potential company may have.

[TwoPlAnKs]

I don't think it is, I'd think it's illegal to refuse someone based on their age. When I look for their age I'm curious to what experience they have.

In this current situation there are lots of people out there with lots of experience that I'd be keen to hire over someone with less experience. Yes, I guess you could argue "How do you get experience if you don't get hired" but there is a ladder to climb for that.

Age and experience aren't always linked. Yes, you could make an educated guess from somebody's age how experienced they are or how good they are if you were just meeting them in the street, but why do that when you have a bit of paper in your hand with details of the person's exact experience on it?

I'd rather hire a 25 year old who has worked since they were 16 than a 30 year old who got their first job at the age of 26 when they finally finished uni after resitting a few years and changing their course twice. Of course, for some jobs and with some applicants that wouldn't be the case either but you need to look at the actual experience.

Basing a decision on age is totally mad, and rightfully illegal. And to all the eedjits who have replied saying it is not illegal for whatever reason, it actually is. http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employme...rk/DG_10026429

Apart from anything else it's totally useless advice for this thread. What is the OP meant to do? Travel back in time and slip a rohyphnol in his mum's drink?

[TwoPlAnKs]

Exactly, this is NOT planet TwoPlanks thankfully!

If the decision on whether or not this is planet TwoPlanks is based on whether or not it's illegal to discriminate on age then I think you'll find it actually is.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/PlanetNa...rthToTwoPlanks

[Brydo666]

Age and experience aren't always linked. Yes, you could make an educated guess from somebody's age how experienced they are or how good they are if you were just meeting them in the street, but why do that when you have a bit of paper in your hand with details of the person's exact experience on it?

I'd rather hire a 25 year old who has worked since they were 16 than a 30 year old who got their first job at the age of 26 when they finally finished uni after resitting a few years and changing their course twice. Of course, for some jobs and with some applicants that wouldn't be the case either but you need to look at the actual experience.

Basing a decision on age is totally mad, and rightfully illegal. And to all the eedjits who have replied saying it is not illegal for whatever reason, it actually is. http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employme...rk/DG_10026429

Apart from anything else it's totally useless advice for this thread. What is the OP meant to do? Travel back in time and slip a rohyphnol in his mum's drink?

I just used that as an example as to why I think it's good to put your age on your CV.

I know it's illegal to discriminate against age, but unfortunately it happens.

[blaggard]

If the decision on whether or not this is planet TwoPlanks is based on whether or not it's illegal to discriminate on age then I think you'll find it actually is.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/PlanetNa...rthToTwoPlanks

What you actually said was that it was illegal for him to look first at his age, it has to be part of the equation.
I'm afraid my opinion of you is sinking lower by the thread, I'll start to participate again when your bollocks have dropped.

[coin-op]

What you actually said was that it was illegal for him to look first at his age, it has to be part of the equation.
I'm afraid my opinion of you is sinking lower by the thread, I'll start to participate again when your bollocks have dropped.

Well said that man.
That was the point I was making. It's illegal to discriminate on the basis of age, but you can't make it illegal to look at someone's age FFS