Your CV - Light reading

mcaul

So in a few weeks many of you will be out in the job market and trying to impress with your CV. Keep it to two pages, and don't put down babysitting in your "experience" column and also avoid these top ten no no's tat other people actually did!!! (They were American!) ...



A job candidate...

1. ... attached a reference letter from her mother.

2. ... used pale blue paper with teddy bears printed around the border.

3. ... explained a three-month gap in employment by saying that he was getting over the death of his cat.

4. ... specified that his availability to work Fridays, Saturdays, or Sundays is limited because the weekends are "drinking time."

5. ... included a picture of herself in a cheerleading uniform.

6. ... drew a picture of a car on the outside of the envelope and said the car would be a gift to the hiring manager.

7. ... listed hobbies that included sitting on a levee at night watching alligators.

8. ... mentioned the fact that her sister had once won a strawberry-eating contest.

9. ... stated that he works well in the nude.

10. ... explained an arrest record by stating, "We stole a pig, but it was a really small pig."

Pherekydes

Your CV should be clearly laid out. Info should be correct and there should be no misspellings. Personnel departments have so many CVs they can afford to thin them out by tossing the badly written ones straight in the bin.

Slow Motion

mcaul wrote:

5. ... included a picture of herself in a cheerleading uniform.

Don't see a problem with this

Seriously though what Slow Coach said

professore

5. Could be an advantage to getting hired

cocoa

Vis getting a summer job would it be acceptable to include mock results or is this a big nono and should I use my JC results? Just curious... Heh, it seems so weird to write a CV now because I don't really have much vita to put in a curriculum but, filler in the hobbies and interests section i guess...

md99

cocoa wrote:

Vis getting a summer job would it be acceptable to include mock results or is this a big nono and should I use my JC results? Just curious... Heh, it seems so weird to write a CV now because I don't really have much vita to put in a curriculum but, filler in the hobbies and interests section i guess...

It's a no-no, though do use your JC results, it can work both ways though depending on the job..... if the job is one of some importance, ie a responsible state job, use your (good) JC results, if your results are great think twice, some employers care little for JC/LC results and some may not pick you for that reason... They may just want someone to take orders blindly without question or thought.

Rozabeez

md99 wrote:

They may just want someone to take orders blindly without question or thought.

And we all want to be hired by that kind of employer, right? :rolleyes:

Selphie

Rozabeez wrote:

And we all want to be hired by that kind of employer, right? :rolleyes:

At this time of year, I don't care really. I'm so poor and so badly in need of money that I'd probably do anything.

adamcp

Yeah need to write up my CV and get a job sorted for Summer but time..............

md99

Rozabeez wrote:

And we all want to be hired by that kind of employer, right? :rolleyes:

I want to be hired by any employer who pays properly...*

When you're in a country overloaded with immigrants just dying to do underpaid and well-paid jobs, you're only available for the summer months AND starting late at that (24th June the LC finishes for me - well into the summer) you don't have much of a choice...

I'll do whatever I can get, well except for working in a shop, I've had my fill of that... worked in a pub last year, which was great, also as a delivery driver, worked in a few different shops the years before.. I've been working constantly since I was 13, and with all that experience it's still not simple to get a job in Ireland... applied for a (VERY well paid) hospital job though I'd be 'on call' constantly, hoping to get it... interview this Friday, fingers crossed :cool:

*DONT quote me on this... please

Selphie

md99 wrote:

I've been working constantly since I was 13, and with all that experience it's still not simple to get a job in Ireland... applied for a (VERY well paid) hospital job though I'd be 'on call' constantly, hoping to get it... interview this Friday, fingers crossed :cool:

I worked from February of TY up until Christmas of 6th year and I have never made a better decision than to give it up. I think I've sorted out a job for after the LC, just gotta hope it comes through now!
Best of luck md99 *crosses fingers*

mcaul

cocoa wrote:

Vis getting a summer job would it be acceptable to include mock results or is this a big nono and should I use my JC results? Just curious... Heh, it seems so weird to write a CV now because I don't really have much vita to put in a curriculum but, filler in the hobbies and interests section i guess...

OK - Here's my opinion of a "newbie CV" - From experience of employing over 30 18 - 25yr olds in retail.

You are competing with approx. 30 CV's for each summer position - an employer looking for a part-time person / summer person will glance over all CV's and whittle it down to about 4 / 5 who will be called to interview.

If called to interview, find out something about the company and its business and where you think you fit in - this is a HUGE advantage.

1st CV - having just completed leaving cert.

First part
Name, address, date of birth, contact number & e-mail

Second part
School, basic Junior cert results and subects / level you have just completed in Leaving Cert exams.

Third part - experience of any sort that would show you in a good light. Such as, Sports achievments, School awards, Being prefect / head pupil, Young scientest entrant etc etc.

Avoid the "child minding" type of stuff - it is of no interest or relevance to an employer.

Final part - very briefly put down what you are hoping to do - college (which course), career, apprenticeship etc.

And make sure it is not over two pages.

Other tips -

No fancy covers, no coloured paper, no coloured print.

Print in arial 11 point. And print on 100gsm white paper. - It costs a couple of quid extra, but amazing the difference it makes!!


Above is for a CV targeting summer / part-time work. Hope it helps.

Rozabeez

md99 wrote:

I want to be hired by any employer who pays properly...*

When you're in a country overloaded with immigrants just dying to do underpaid and well-paid jobs, you're only available for the summer months

They don't need to know that you intend on going to college dearest, for all they know, you've left education and just want to work.

md99

Rozabeez wrote:

They don't need to know that you intend on going to college dearest, for all they know, you've left education and just want to work.

Employers usually aren't thick though, they're not that easily fooled, and if they find out... I mean that would be very easy too if you've any friends around the place... but yeah you could be right, depending on the job

adamcp

Are references imperative for Summer work?

mcaul

adamcp wrote:

Are references imperative for Summer work?

"Yes" is the short answer. But written references are not required. What an employer wants to know is that you are trustworthy, honourable and willing to do the work you have applied for.

Name & contact number of head teacher / sports coach / scout leader etc etc is ideal.

adamcp

Ok thanks, that means I have to go ask my principal for one sometime

genericgoon

I already have a job. Im still doing it. Thankfully only on Sundays and since its so easy I can even fit a fair bit of study/homework during it. As for foreigners my boss wouldnt trust them a bit. Which is good for me

Garret

Little tip to those who dont know, sundays = time and a half in shops (well most chains anyway)

mcaul

Garret wrote:

Little tip to those who dont know, sundays = time and a half in shops (well most chains anyway)

Incorrect.

Where a business operates on a 7 day week or normally operates at nights etc. then you have no entitlement to additional pay for bank holidays / sundays / nights etc etc. (Some companies MAY offer extra pay for sundays, but it is entirely up to them to do so)

If the business hours are normally monday to friday 9am - 5pm and they decide they need staff for some project on a sunday THEN you are entitled to additional pay.


This change happened about 8 years ago and staff who were working prior to the change and who still work in the same company still work by the old rules.

md99

Garret wrote:

Little tip to those who dont know, sundays = time and a half in shops (well most chains anyway)

pfft... Shop I used work at brought in time and a half a few weeks after I quit, and I worked there for 3 years dammit!!!!!! EVERY Sunday too might I add :mad: