Post: #1

One of the great things about the RVF is the plethora of knowledge floating around on here from a diverse array of men. So, I thought I'd use it to ask a quick question...

On a C.V, or resume, should you include your D.O.B? Also, do you list education or work experience first? Basically, how should you lay it out? I know there are templates on the internet, but I'd rather hear first hand from successful people.

Cheers.

Post: #2

No need to include DOB. Education is listed at the very top, before work experience. This holds for CVs and resumes.

Post: #3

If you want advice pm me.

Post: #4

Don't include DOB. Raises legal issues for the more sensitive HR departments. But this can easily be guessed based on year of graduation anyway.

I'd say include the following sections. Listed below is for the average professional company. Certain top tier new companies like Gogle, Facebook etc. have different requirements, which I'm not familiar with. From the top:

1) Name, address (ideally one in the same city as the job you're applying for) and very brief (max two sentences) top level summary of your professional standing and aspirations.

2) Highest level of education attained, including institution name, and place and also the date of qualifying. If you have a bachelors leave out high school, if you have a graduate degree leave out bachelors. Unless it is really relevant or your bachelors was at a much more prestigious institution than your graduate degree.

3) Positions held, including job title, company name and place, and dates employed. Most recent listed first.

4) Other professional qualifications and certifications, and relevant job skills.

Forget about hobbies and other personal stuff. HR and hiring managers ARE likely to be somewhat interested in these, but only during an interview or phone conversation. They are human after all. Try to keep it brief. Two pages max, maybe three if you've been around a while.

Post: #5

If you have a lot of work experience and have been out of school for awhile then put that at the top.

If you are fresh out of school and have little work experience, especially for the job you are applying for then highlight your education at the top.

I admittedly have not worked for anyone else since 2005. But I have hired and fired numerous people that have worked for me over the years. This is what I look for before I call for an interview.

I personally prefer work experience over education.

Post: #6

Thanks for the info Hussar, would you have any other tips? I have to send my CV to a HR firm in a couple of days, and any advice would be more than welcomed. Thanks.

Post: #7

This is one of the best placement agencies in the U.S. Download and look at their formats:

http://www.orioninternational.com/jobsee...sumes.aspx

Post: #8

(02-13-2013 02:22 PM)Don Wrote:  Thanks for the info Hussar, would you have any other tips? I have to send my CV to a HR firm in a couple of days, and any advice would be more than welcomed. Thanks.

In my own resume I like to mix qualitative factors (I established good relationships with new suppliers, helping to maintain uninterrupted supplies) with quantitative factors (I saved XYZ Company $1 million over one year by redesigning 123 process). I also like to see this in resumes I view. It seems that if you don't actually try to quantify your resume will be almost all qualitative - and unbalanced. Numbers are your friend.

Post: #9

Is there any "expected" lenght on the size of a resume? I have a resume of only one page, where i list my degree, my job experience and some other skills and awards, maybe i can put some other things (which i don't consider 100% relevant) and go for 2 pages. But i have seen often large resumes of >10 pages where they list the most irrelevant things, does this impress HR or they also look at them with a critical eye?

Post: #10

HR sorts through hundreds of resumes per day. I believe you should be on one page as a summary with a good cover letter selling yourself.

when I was hiring someone I spent less than 10 seconds looking at a resume before deciding whether it goes in the call back or trash pile.

Post: #11

Two pages max for a resume (I would laugh if I came accross 10 pg resume). I would also place your work experience (if directly relevant) before education. Put your best argument for getting the job right up front. You have to approach the resume from the point of view of how you and your experience can help the company. Make absolutely sure there is not a single spelling or grammar mistake. Have 5 people check it if you have to.

Post: #12

I wonder if Houston puts a pic of his cock on his CV?

Seriously, cover letters are insanely important. I shot my resume out everywhere back in '07, with ZERO response. The weekend I added a cover letter, the phone was ringing off the hook first thing Monday morning.

The last email I got from my CL/CV here in the states was:

"WOW.....Mr. Ali, ect. ect. ect.

The girl couldn't even get out a formal email to me. There are similar from companies in N.D. These are $25 hr. and up jobs with fat benefits.

I know it sucks huge balls, but spend the time and money getting your credentials down on paper correctly. It will pay off dividends in the long run.

Post: #13

If you have a lot of work experience and have been out of school for awhile then put that at the top.

If you are fresh out of school and have little work experience, especially for the job you are applying for then highlight your education at the top.

BigInJapan has this exactly right. Experience in the work you're applying for trumps all. The only time you put education above your experience is if you're applying for a job that specifically requires a certain degree or certification...but even then, if you've got 4+ years experience in the work you're applying for, put your work experience first.

Post: #14

(02-13-2013 02:49 PM)K Galt Wrote:  If you have a lot of work experience and have been out of school for awhile then put that at the top.

If you are fresh out of school and have little work experience, especially for the job you are applying for then highlight your education at the top.

BigInJapan has this exactly right. Experience in the work you're applying for trumps all. The only time you put education above your experience is if you're applying for a job that specifically requires a certain degree or certification...but even then, if you've got 4+ years experience in the work you're applying for, put your work experience first.

NO! If you have a degree in French literature, art, or physical ed, please put that at the top in big bold letters. That way the recruiter won't spend any unnecessary time looking further on your resume, and keep digging until they find a candidate that had enough sense to go get an education in something useful. Jus' sayin'.

Post: #15

Seriously, cover letters are insanely important.

For sure, but make sure you don't just use a generic "form" letter. You gotta customize it for every job you submit your resume to.

It also never hurts to call back after submitting your resume to check and see if they received it and ask for an interview.

Post: #16

(02-13-2013 02:53 PM)Aliblahba Wrote:  NO! If you have a degree in French literature, art, or physical ed, please put that at the top in big bold letters. That way the recruiter won't spend any unnecessary time looking further on your resume, and keep digging until they find a candidate that had enough sense to go get an education in something useful. Jus' sayin'.

lozolzolzolzol

Don't forget to list your expertise in social media networking!

Post: #17

Significant differences in CV vs. resume i.e. I believe CVs you often include DOB and a picture of yourself so it depends which one you're doing - look up differences online.

Also, as mentioned, list experience FIRST assuming you're not a fresh graduate. Forget about Activities/Hobbies unless you're a hot shot volunteer or something. Mine is just broken out:

Experience
Education & Certifications
Internship Experience

With your Experience section, include about half hard figures and specific statements (sold x amount, worked on a deal of x size, worked on deal for top 5 mining company, underwrote x size company in software industry) and about half of the more generic statements.

Post: #18

what do you write on a cover letter? sorry never had a cv/resume before as i head the one job since i finished school so trying to get one made in the next for weeks for jobs in Canada

Post: #19

(02-13-2013 02:53 PM)Aliblahba Wrote:  

(02-13-2013 02:49 PM)K Galt Wrote:  If you have a lot of work experience and have been out of school for awhile then put that at the top.

If you are fresh out of school and have little work experience, especially for the job you are applying for then highlight your education at the top.

BigInJapan has this exactly right. Experience in the work you're applying for trumps all. The only time you put education above your experience is if you're applying for a job that specifically requires a certain degree or certification...but even then, if you've got 4+ years experience in the work you're applying for, put your work experience first.

NO! If you have a degree in French literature, art, or physical ed, please put that at the top in big bold letters. That way the recruiter won't spend any unnecessary time looking further on your resume, and keep digging until they find a candidate that had enough sense to go get an education in something useful. Jus' sayin'.

French Literature would probably get you an interview with my company assuming everything else meets our standards. We can tell how smart you are from your SATs, GREs, GMATs, etc. We get mostly engineers applying with a significant fraction of scientists as well. To promote intellectual diversity, we give special consideration to non-STEM folks who have the intellect and interest to do the job.

Post: #20

^^^I guess someone has to be hired to interpret the value menu into French.

Post: #21

(02-13-2013 04:29 PM)Aliblahba Wrote:  ^^^I guess someone has to be hired to interpret the value menu into French.

bahahaahaha. Good one.

Your toilet seat burn the other day still has me smirking when I see a dude with a mac

Post: #22

Cheers guys, my current one has work experience first, after the initial 'personal statement' part, as I am applying for sales jobs and have tons of experience, therefore I figured to put it first so they could see that. I'm degree educated and put that in the statement, and later on I listed my actual specific qualifications and grades etc.

Post: #23

Solid info above.

Another quick tip is to make sure to keep in mind key words. A lot of times HR, managers, or headhunters will zoom in on key words on a resume or CV. Because of that it pays to read the job description very carefully. Are there any skills that they seem to be emphasizing? Even if you're shotgunning resumes it doesn't take much time to change a word here and there. Since I don't know what field your in, it's hard to give specific examples.

Post: #24

(02-13-2013 04:29 PM)Aliblahba Wrote:  ^^^I guess someone has to be hired to interpret the value menu into French.

Life imitates comedy. I'd bet good money that consultants were behind McDonald's successful reentry into France in the late 70s and behind the introduction of the value menu.

Post: #25

(02-13-2013 11:43 AM)Teedub Wrote:  One of the great things about the RVF is the plethora of knowledge floating around on here from a diverse array of men. So, I thought I'd use it to ask a quick question...

On a C.V, or resume, should you include your D.O.B? Also, do you list education or work experience first? Basically, how should you lay it out? I know there are templates on the internet, but I'd rather hear first hand from successful people.

Cheers.

One thing to be mindful of is different countries have different looking resume standards. I would really try and ask people that live in your own country(or country you are looking for a job in) because what works in the US might be different then what would work in the UK.