CV Questions

Hi,
I'm currently updating my CV having recently completed my CIMA qualification, but am unsure about a couple of things (especially as it has now been a few years since I've had to update it!)

1) With your qualifications, is it important to include absolutely everything or better to prioritse the key ones (e.g. I've currently got my CIMA qualification, Uni degree, A levels, Maths & English GCSEs and a couple of minor things for basic accounting stduies - would it be better to just have the first 2 now that I have a bit of experience to back my CV up whereas before I was relying on my qualifications?)

2) Would you recommend including your references? I recently did some recruiting and all the CVs I read didn't include the specific details, just said something along the lines of "References available upon request". Is this the way to go now or is it still a good idea to include the details?

3) In my current employment, my job position has changed 3 times. Should I merge all of these into a couple of lines in my employment history or separate them out? (my actual role didn't massively change in each of these, just developed further)

4) When detailing your employment history, is it really necessary to include irrelevant part time work you did whilst at school or uni? Also is it acceptable to just list your positions or should you include a little bit of background to each role?

5) At the moment I've got a couple of "achievements" listed like young enterprise which I had previously due to a lack of relevant experience. Should I keep things like this in or now focus on the 4 years of work experience I have?

Thanks in advance for any help

Comments

  • Toomuchdebt
    Toomuchdebt Posts: 2,128
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    Radderz88 wrote: »
    Hi,
    I'm currently updating my CV having recently completed my CIMA qualification, but am unsure about a couple of things (especially as it has now been a few years since I've had to update it!)

    1) With your qualifications, is it important to include absolutely everything or better to prioritse the key ones (e.g. I've currently got my CIMA qualification, Uni degree, A levels, Maths & English GCSEs and a couple of minor things for basic accounting stduies - would it be better to just have the first 2 now that I have a bit of experience to back my CV up whereas before I was relying on my qualifications?) List the most relevant/recent first. For the GCSE and A levels you could just put the amount and grades A-C or whatever you haveI just put 9 O levels A-C, 4 A levels A-C

    2) Would you recommend including your references? I recently did some recruiting and all the CVs I read didn't include the specific details, just said something along the lines of "References available upon request". Is this the way to go now or is it still a good idea to include the details?Apparently these days you just write that they're available on request

    3) In my current employment, my job position has changed 3 times. Should I merge all of these into a couple of lines in my employment history or separate them out? (my actual role didn't massively change in each of these, just developed further)I would put them all together but make the point about them developing and write what was different in each role

    4) When detailing your employment history, is it really necessary to include irrelevant part time work you did whilst at school or uni? Also is it acceptable to just list your positions or should you include a little bit of background to each role? I would list them all still as they usually like 10 years of history or something silly

    5) At the moment I've got a couple of "achievements" listed like young enterprise which I had previously due to a lack of relevant experience. Should I keep things like this in or now focus on the 4 years of work experience I have?Keep them in-added extras are always good

    Thanks in advance for any help

    I just did an employability course last month so this is the advice I was given :)
    Debts Jan 2014 £20,108.34 :eek:

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  • Radderz88 wrote: »
    Hi,
    I'm currently updating my CV having recently completed my CIMA qualification, but am unsure about a couple of things (especially as it has now been a few years since I've had to update it!)

    1) With your qualifications, is it important to include absolutely everything or better to prioritse the key ones (e.g. I've currently got my CIMA qualification, Uni degree, A levels, Maths & English GCSEs and a couple of minor things for basic accounting stduies - would it be better to just have the first 2 now that I have a bit of experience to back my CV up whereas before I was relying on my qualifications?)
    Since getting a couple of degrees and experience I have only ever written '10 GCSEs and 4 A levels' on my CV. I don't feel that anything more specific adds to my CV. If the accountancy is relevant to the role keep it in, if not then omit it.

    2) Would you recommend including your references? I recently did some recruiting and all the CVs I read didn't include the specific details, just said something along the lines of "References available upon request". Is this the way to go now or is it still a good idea to include the details?

    I never add references or any mention of them as if you get an interview they will ask.

    3) In my current employment, my job position has changed 3 times. Should I merge all of these into a couple of lines in my employment history or separate them out? (my actual role didn't massively change in each of these, just developed further)

    I would merge them all giving an overview of how you have progressed, and have the heading as the most recent role.

    4) When detailing your employment history, is it really necessary to include irrelevant part time work you did whilst at school or uni? Also is it acceptable to just list your positions or should you include a little bit of background to each role?

    as above, anything that is relevant to the current role you are applying for would be useful to leave in. I would leave out any part-time, irrelevant to role positions. However those roles that are relevant, whether part or full-time, i always give a brief overview of main responsibilities and role.

    5) At the moment I've got a couple of "achievements" listed like young enterprise which I had previously due to a lack of relevant experience. Should I keep things like this in or now focus on the 4 years of work experience I have?

    only keep them in if relevant to the role, not every 'achievement' you have gained, and to be honest if they are years ago I wouldn't bother adding them
    Thanks in advance for any help

    I have two CVs for two roles I apply for, very similar but with slight role-specific changes, but with roles that i apply for my personal statement has more weight that my CV, which again is role-specific.
  • Sharon87
    Sharon87 Posts: 4,011
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    My advice for the 'irrelevant' jobs. I would only add these if I had space on the CV to write them. Then put them in another section at the bottom. So at the top you'd write, if you were in Accounting for instance 'Accountancy roles' then after these put another heading 'Additional Positions'
  • There is no correct answer, a lot will depend on the level of role you are going for, your experience and ultimately the person reading the CV

    1) I dont mention my GCSEs at all. I think with the rest of my further/ higher education and professional qualifications they can guess I probably did ok at GCSEs and can do basic maths and english.

    2) Never had references on my CV

    3) It will depend on just how similar the work was, if it was almost identical then I'd do something similar to:

    Jan 10 - Present - ABC Plc
    • Jan 10 - Mar 12 - Account Administrator
    • Mar 12 - May 14 - Account Assistant
    • May 14 - Present - Account Handler
    Key responsibilities & achievements:

    for others where its a single role it would be:

    Jan 10 - Present - ABC Plc - Account Manager

    4) I would say you want to cover off the last 3-6 years in full but earlier than that then only if relevant, that said, if you put down 6 years experience in full and the only other experience relevant is from 15 years ago dont just put it down as then it looks like you had a 9 year job gap. Either drop it, put it all down so there is no gap or put a placeholder of "various retail jobs" or equiv

    I've been in my profession and industry for 13 years now and so dont put any of my call centre work done whilst a student and immediately after leaving uni on my CV even though one or two bits were insurance related.


    5) Do you have any work achievements? If so you could keep the achievements in but have it as a mix of work and non-work until the work ones are sufficient to push the non-work ones off.



    There is no right or wrong, and this is the problem. There are norms but there are plenty that go against the norm. Some will like the change, others may be neutral to it but it could work in your favour and others may hate it so it goes against you.

    A project manager I am currently working for has a very non-standard CV. He has an introductory paragraph that highlights the fact he is a chartered accountant, has 20 years project management experience, his professional qualifications etc. After that he lists, in detail 8 or so projects he has delivered, he doesnt date order them, say who the client was etc. In practice he has about 20 projects written up and just selects the 8 most appropriate ones for the job he is applying for. At the end of that is a literal list of jobs with no detail on each one other than the start and end date
  • JethroUK
    JethroUK Posts: 1,959 Forumite
    Radderz88 wrote: »
    ....

    2) Would you recommend including your references? I recently did some recruiting and all the CVs I read didn't include the specific details, just said something along the lines of "References available upon request". Is this the way to go now or is it still a good idea to include the details?

    ...

    Saying "excellent references upon request" has the benefit of giving you a heads up that you have got the job - because references are not usually taken up until they have already decided to offer you the job (subject to references) and when you get that phone call saying "so where's these references you said you have" usually is the sign of good news coming your way

    that all said there is nothing wrong with citing existing references, particularly if they are good one (ones the company my know of and respect)
    When will the "Edit" and "Quote" button get fixed on the mobile web interface?
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