not what you know its who you know.

protelos

The format didn't really come across as expected on PM. OP maybe use this one.

^^ fair play to you for looking up the course and the like!!

Hunter456

here is a more detailed version i should put the dates in a red color

Stheno

Hunter456 wrote: »

so giving the sample of a new C.V i put them to use and came with a new looking and was hoping if some could review it. credit to stheno and protelos

Take your name out if you are publishing it on the web like you are!

Also, c.v.'s should be max. two pages long, yours is now three, it's longer than mine which lists 18 years experience!

Your c.v. is not meant to be a long running narrative, it's supposed to give an employer an overview of what you've done to date. You use a cover letter to direct an employer to the relevant things about you that will give them a reason to want to interview you. Employers also don't need to be told who Tesco are tbh.

I've edited your personal profile, you'd no contact details in. Have a look and see what you think.

Without being overly critical, have you ever been assessed for dyslexia?

Hunter456

Stheno wrote: »

Take your name out if you are publishing it on the web like you are!

Also, c.v.'s should be max. two pages long, yours is now three, it's longer than mine which lists 18 years experience!

Your c.v. is not meant to be a long running narrative, it's supposed to give an employer an overview of what you've done to date. You use a cover letter to direct an employer to the relevant things about you that will give them a reason to want to interview you. Employers also don't need to be told who Tesco are tbh.

I've edited your personal profile, you'd no contact details in. Have a look and see what you think.

Without being overly critical, have you ever been assessed for dyslexia?

no i haven't i type looking at the screen and sometimes i don't read over what i type.

Stheno

Hunter456 wrote: »

no i haven't i type looking at the screen and sometimes i don't read over what i type.

Ok, well I touch type while looking at the telly an awful lot of the time, and I do read over it. I also tend to print out any documents I type that are important (your c.v. is in this category) as I know that I am prone to miss errors if I read them in soft copy.

You need to pay more attention to detail, however you do that is up to you.

Did you read through that revised profile I uploaded?

Hunter456

Stheno wrote: »

Ok, well I touch type while looking at the telly an awful lot of the time, and I do read over it. I also tend to print out any documents I type that are important (your c.v. is in this category) as I know that I am prone to miss errors if I read them in soft copy.

You need to pay more attention to detail, however you do that is up to you.

Did you read through that revised profile I uploaded?

ya its impressive thanks i can add bits of protelos sample to make it more detailed. they are both better than the original cv i uploaded.

Stheno

Hunter456 wrote: »

ya its impressive thanks i can add bits of protelos sample to make it more detailed. they are both better than the original cv i uploaded.

Hunter, you genuinely do not need more detail, any more and you'll be three pages plus, and your c.v. will get binned.

You use cover letters to add relevant detail.

Hunter456

i kept it at two pages just added a little bit more text and i think we have real C.V here thats worth looking at.

Stheno

Hunter456 wrote: »

i kept it at two pages just added a little bit more text and i think we have real C.V here thats worth looking at.

Ok, I've edited it slightly, I've put bullets in for the intro to IT course. There is a problem in that the bullets for the Support course are too far out, you need to get that format consistent (yes I'm picky)

I also moved the Education title to the second page, don't have a title at the end of the page, and the detail on the next.

Finally I've removed the reference to using YouTube to keep up with technology, it's not very professional sounding, yes we all use google and YouTube, but you don't put it on a c.v.

Hunter456

its professional worth looking at thank you much and to the others for their guidance wont forget it when i land a job i'm coming here to thank ye sincerely. most of all taking the time out of yer day to help me out.

Rantan

Op..try and elaborate the value you added to the roles you have had. What did you do that made the experience of your customers better? What did you do to improve the environment you worked in? Telling what you did is easy and useless..declaring how you did something brilliant is hard but is what you need to learn to communicate. I'm not very good at what I do..mediocre at best but I've learned how to write a s//t hot cv and interview well so can almost pick the roles I want. Also..you shouldn't have just one cv..you create a cv for each role you apply for..it must include the key skills and task s that the job spec requires. You should have a base cv and tailor it for each application..I am waiting for a job offer to land tomorrow for a cracker of a role...I spent ages researching the company, the role and learning the job spec inside out..then once i understood what the company wanted. .i presented it to them in my cv so that they had no choice but to offer me an interview and then I spent another week prepping for that.......and then another week prep for the second round interview. ...job hunting is tough work..

Stheno

Hunter456 wrote: »

its professional looking worth looking at thank you much and to the others for their guidance wont forget it when i land a job i'm coming here to thank ye sincerely. most of all taking the time out of yer day to help me out.

No problem.

One thing I'd suggest you do is to set yourself some goals, you mentioned you got depressed previously with the struggle to get a job, so don't be unrealistic, and expect to find a job tomorrow, next week, or next month.

Set yourself some goals.

So e.g. in the next week, decide that you are going to do something like the following:

1. Check out what skillnet are offering near you www.skillnets.ie/eligibility-criteria-unemployed-people
2. Check out the Comptia training syco posted that is free and you can do on your own time.
3. Start learning to touch type, I've a Mavis Beacon training cd I can send you if you want.
3. Check with FAS/Intreo if that course I linked to might be happening in your area anytime soon
4. Check what mentoring services are out there, there is a new one recently launched to encourage people into IT, I can look up the details for you if you like, and you can follow it up?
5. Set yourself a tech challenge, given your background, maybe dual boot a machine, install Linux on one partition, and Windows on another, or upgrade a W7 or 8.1 machine to ten to see what it's like.

All five of those activities will take max two hours a day to start next week, and by the end of next week, you'll be a better typist, have a better idea of what skills/courses are available for you to make yourself more marketable, you'll do some research, and maybe find a mentor.

If you do take that approach, build on it every week, you eat the elephant one bite at a time.

And feel free to come back and ask questions.

Best of luck

Stheno

Rantan wrote: »

Op..try and elaborate the value you added to the roles you have had. What did you do that made the experience of your customers better? What did you do to improve the environment you worked in? Telling what you did is easy and useless..declaring how you did something brilliant is hard but is what you need to learn to communicate. I'm not very good at what I do..mediocre at best but I've learned how to write a s//t hot cv and interview well so can almost pick the roles I want. Also..you shouldn't have just one cv..you create a cv for each role you apply for..it must include the key skills and task s that the job spec requires. You should have a base cv and tailor it for each application..I am waiting for a job offer to land tomorrow for a cracker of a role...I spent ages researching the company, the role and learning the job spec inside out..then once i understood what the company wanted. .i presented it to them in my cv so that they had no choice but to offer me an interview and then I spent another week prepping for that.......and then another week prep for the second round interview. ...job hunting is tough work..

Agreed, that's a base c.v. I helped op create, his original was shocking.

I used have a section at the end of each role where I put achievements, usually just one or two lines to keep it succinct

Hunter456

i hope to have the comptia a plus completed soon i watched first video introductions dis morning and will watch section 2 and 3 tomorrow. i have a dual boot system already because some classic pc games wont run right on windows 7.

Stheno

Hunter456 wrote: »

i hope to have the comptia a plus completed soon i watched first video introductions dis morning and will watch section 2 and 3 tomorrow. i have a dual boot system already because some classic pc games wont run right on windows 7.

Well substitute that dual boot goal for something else.

Stop making excuses and get a plan in place

I.e. When are you going to have the comptia completed? Soon is not a plan, it's an excuse to put stuff off

syklops

Hunter456 wrote: »

This area of work[he is talking about IT ] is fairly crowded as its the way forward but none are employing atm, they are just working from them selves which isn't a bad thing either.

No one hiring huh?

Hunter456

iv being noticing alot of companies are taking on mac based operating systems or requires you to have some knowledge of it, so that's a reason to to add another OS to my system,

challengemaster

Stheno wrote: »

One thing I'd suggest you do is to set yourself some goals, you mentioned you got depressed previously with the struggle to get a job, so don't be unrealistic, and expect to find a job tomorrow, next week, or next month.

Another thing I'd suggest is be realistic with the jobs you're applying for. I did ask previously for examples of the kind of jobs you've been applying to - but this went unanswered.

Your CV is now a hell of a lot better, but keep in mind what Stheno has said about bulking it too much (for future reference). 3 page CVs unless it's a goldmine will go straight into the bin.

Christine LaDuchesse

Stheno wrote: »

N
OP doesn't ever appear to have studied any language, and to get a role as you describe, would need to be near fluent to get one. That's not something you do in the short term tbh

I can assure you you are wrong here. In most of these roles there is no need to be fluent, plus, if someone sets themselves to it, a language can be learned in a week, at fluent business level. I took a French course with the nuns. One week, 7 days of 13 hours a day only speaking French, and boy, do you learn that language quickly.

But you have to have the determination to want that. If the OP is making excuses for everything rather than the will to win, he/she will not easily find a job.

looksee

You should remove your name from the cv (on boards) and also change the sentence on the last page about your reading. I will not comment further on the cv as I am out of touch with cv practices.

stanley1980

Your CV looks much much better which is a big step in the right direction. I think the fact that you're on here looking for and accepting advice shows initiative and enthusiasm- these are important transferable skills. Fair play.

I'm a teacher in a secondary school. I teach a few IT classes (basic stuff) as well as LCA. I make sure all my students know how to create a decent CV. I was never shown this at school and it wasn't until I was unemployed myself that I really gained any appreciation or knowledge on CVs and how vital they are. You're doing the same now and it'll really stand to you for the rest of your professional life.

Hunter456

10 pages of replies and willing to help others all i can do is follow threw on the advise and get back into the the workforce and get more qualifications. i have attached my C.V will i keep the address like this or will i change it around.

northgirl

Your CV looks great!

If you are targeting IT rolesI would suggest incorporating that into your Personal Profile at the top of the CV. The first couple of lines of your CV are crucial.

I've been recruiting in industry, particularly software for a number of years. I hope you find something soon

Hunter456

how long should a cover letter be half a page no more than a few lines. i have being uploading my new cv to the job websites and fine tuned my automatic searches for specific role's .

Slutmonkey57b

Your cover letter needs to put you in a good light and answer up front the obvious questions an employer will ask themselves when they first view your cv.

In your case it's crucial to explain the multi year employment gap, not just in terms of why you weren't working but why you weren't training either. You can mention the odd pc repair work as an aside, but don't try and pass it off as anything more than it is. Sign up for part time or evening courses now and emphasise how much effort you're now putting into retaining and getting yourself fit for employment.

The cover letter should also be job specific, mention what key skills they want you're working towards our already have.

Half a page maximum.

Hunter456

Slutmonkey57b wrote: »

Your cover letter needs to put you in a good light and answer up front the obvious questions an employer will ask themselves when they first view your cv.

In your case it's crucial to explain the multi year employment gap, not just in terms of why you weren't working but why you weren't training either. You can mention the odd pc repair work as an aside, but don't try and pass it off as anything more than it is. Sign up for part time or evening courses now and emphasise how much effort you're now putting into retaining and getting yourself fit for employment.

The cover letter should also be job specific, mention what key skills they want you're working towards our already have.

Half a page maximum.

COVER LETTER SAMPLE

Dear, Sir/Madam

My interest in the position of () has prompted me to forward my C.V for your review and consideration.

Having worked/studied within the industry for many years, I have developed a wide range of skills that would meet, and exceed the expectations for this specific role. I am currently unemployed and eager to re-enter the workforce to better my skills and to be a part of a team, as you can see there is an employment gap on my C.V as I was a stay at home father because my wife worked but I continued to keep up to date with the continually upgrading I.T industry. I am seeking this position because I am confident my experience will make a positive contribution to the start-up or continuing profitable operation of a business in which I am so well experienced.

If you would like to get in touch to discuss my application and to arrange an interview please contact me via Phone or email.
I look forward to hearing from you soon.

garywilko

Tailor each cover letter to each job application. Quality over quantity.

ComfortKid

Fair play to everyone trying to help the OP. Nice to see kindness is alive and well.

actuallylike

This thread has got me right in the feels. You guys :o:o

OP, really good advice here, congrats for taking it on board. I know from personal experience how it feels to be given a reality check bluntly. It hurts but it really is for the best. I was literally laughed out of a large organisation a year ago due to my lack of experience, and I literally mean literally. I have some advice because up until recently, I was in the exact same position as you.

I wanted to become a developer but knew nothing really about it. I did exactly what you did, 'kept up to date'. It's eerie hearing you say it as it's exactly what I was saying to myself. I applied and applied and applied and nothing. I had a short internship software testing under my belt but it was over 2 years ago. When employers asked me what I'd been doing, I told them I was 'brushing up on my coding'. Cringe...big time. It was true though, I spent most of my spare time in the library doing just that, but it doesn't matter a damn without credentials. I live in London and internships were out of the question (rent is too high and recent graduates are all over them, I'm 31)

So after rejigging m CV over and over again, I got qualified in the ISTQB Foundation course. I've read conflicting reports on it from people in the know but I highly recommend it. Firstly, it's easy enough. The syllabus is a 200 page book with pretty relevant stuff (obviously). A lot of it is just common sense but it puts the terms to the methods so it enables you to talk the talk.

Anyway, once I attached that to my CV, job offers flew in. It was all down to the qualification. They didn't care about my previous experience or education. I don't even know if they cared about the ISTQB but they were impressed that I did it in my time and paid for it with my money, showed commitment.

I'm now working as a QA. Awful money admittedly but there's room to grow. I've been in my current job for 2 months and I'm already the lead QA on some projects. There's a developer role opening up in 4 months and I'm angling to get it. I'm good at what I do I just needed the chance to prove it, just like you. But employers don't give chances, they don't hire on hunches, they hire proven successes. Get qualified. Good luck.

Hunter456

To be completely honest i'm self thought within the i.t industry but that means nothing to an employer, so i went away and done a few courses for 4 years and really got into computers on my last course i took a massive interest in our sessions with our tutor as i really wanted to make it in this industry and learnt way more than i could have ever imagined. i want to upskill my self and land a job as i dont want to be stuck out in my garden for the rest of my life don't get me wrong its great to be outdoors.