C.V. wording help needed!!

chillerman · 28 April 2008 at 5:56PM

Hi just wondering and hoping that someone could offer some advise on a C.V.
I left my driving job in November lst year to become a Transport Manager. I was asked at the interview if I minded helping out at times if things got hectic. This didnt seem too much of an issue so I said that wasnt a problem. In the 1st two weeks I went out driving twice and on the 3rd week when a agency driver didnt turn up at 2 in the afternoon for his run I was told to do the 6-7 hour run. I spoke to the manager and said that I was not happy doing this, as I couldnt sort out the next days runs and problems that often occured when this happened. To this I was told that if he wanted me driving for the next 4 weeks, that is what I would be doing and if I didnt like it I could leave. I thought long and hard about my decision and in the end I believed that I couldnt do the job of looking after the drivers and customers to the best of my ability if I was not in the office taking care of things as they came in. Since then I have worked for Employment Agencys as a driver. I now want to get back in to the office side but my concern is what do I put on my C.V. for the reason of leaving after only 3 weeks? Prospective employers will see this 3 week period and wonder! I need to get over this visual section so that I can get the possibility of an interview. Any advise or sugestions would be most helpfull. Ta

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brightonman123 · 28 April 2008 at 7:56PM

duties / working conditions changed, unreasonable demands..?

cazziebo · 28 April 2008 at 8:09PM

I would never advocate anyone "lies" on their CV. However, this is three weeks work - no more than that. The job wasn't what you were led to believe so you left - perfectly acceptable.

I would put on your CV "Short term temporary contracts" to cover the period since taking that job. It reflects what you do and when you get to interview you can explain if necessary that the first of these contracts you believed to be perm, but the job was so different from what was described you had to reconsider your position.

I don't think that's too negative. It's when candidates have a series of perm jobs where they leave that suggests a lack of staying power. Conor might be along soon with some more relevant advice but I think short term contracts are the norm and therefore accepted in driving jobs.

Good luck with the applications

Oldernotwiser · 28 April 2008 at 8:25PM

You shouldn't put reasons for leaving on a CV; it's just not the place for it. If you worked there for only 3 weeks and then went on to agency work then I'd just include it in with this.

(PS Don't put reasons for leaving any other jobs, either.)

Overthetop · 28 April 2008 at 8:39PM

Try and keep your CV down to one page with relevant skills and quals clearly indentified-good luck with your job hunt

chillerman · 28 April 2008 at 8:53PM

Thanks for all the help. Loking back on what I posted I realize that I worded it wrong. Sorry! Its not the reason for leaving on C.Vs, its on the application forms. What I meant about the C.V.s was the short time span at that job. I want to put that I did work as a Transport Manager but it seems so short that it doesnt look good.

Oldernotwiser · 28 April 2008 at 10:53PM

Sorry, I can't see anyway round this; if you want to show that you've had a job as a transport manager then you'll need to show it separately, which will need an explanation. Lumping it in with other temp jobs solves the duration problem but makes it difficult to get your job title in. Tricky!

Personally, and this is only an opinion, I'd forget about having been a transport manager already, particularly as, when it came to the crunch, you were mainly a driver. Could you say that some (?) of your temporary jobs had supervisory/organisational/management responsibilities? Interesting to see what others think.

cazziebo · 28 April 2008 at 11:15PM

Agree with oldernotwiser. Hard to justify the title of transport manager when there has been only the three weeks experience. Better to bring out any previous supervisory experience you've had.

chillerman · 28 April 2008 at 11:42PM

Thanks, I can see what you mean. The only problem is then on the C.V, after my previous job title, do I put Short Term Tempary Contracts or Employment Agencys? Would they then wonder why I left a full time job? As people say, its the first few lines that the employers see, that makes them think I could potentialy be a good future employee. The advise I'v been given will certainly help with applicaction forms and hopefully interviews!

therealdessie · 30 April 2008 at 9:40AM

Who are you filling out the applications for? If it's employment agencies then they're not likely to care about your RFL (Reason for Leaving) if you can prove you had good intentions: they will be the ones who have to talk you up; just remember not to appear as a troublemaker.

If it was me, I'd have to consider that three weeks wouldn't qualify as a job, really. I'd have been more inclined to say I wasn't working over that period and leave it at that - you tried the job, it didn't work out, it's not as if you were entrenched. It might seem dishonest but you have to consider whether anyone employing you needs disclosure of every smaller detail, or whether a white lie might be a better option.

My first job was in the civil service, two years. I don't include it on my CV because the experience wasn't relevant to what I do now, and it was my first job after leaving college. I have never once been asked what I was doing in the period between. When I look at CVs that come to me now, I worry more about people with lots of short-term jobs not listed as temping work than I do about people with a proper record and a few small gaps.

It might seem as if you risk coming unstuck should someone notice, but believe me it's unlikely they will - and even better you won't have to ask those people for a reference. If you're really worried, don't use exact dates of employment - use months. For example, worked at Smith's Haulage Nov 2003 - Apr 2008. It doesn't matter that you might have left Apr 3rd and started at this new place then left, it's all about how you present that gap.

C.V. wording help needed!!

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