Premium CV Builder with www.reed.co.uk

bcfc2004

Don'y know if anybody else uses reed for job search and for their CV but for a short time only they are allowing to build to create a premium CV (ususally £10) for free if you. Just login and enter the code 'PREMCV' when you go tothe checkout page.

Lets you create a CV in word rather than the generaic .pdf layout they use.

MoneySavingUser

I got this email too - anyone used it?

Is it actually useful or does it just take whatever is written on your current cv and show it in their format?

ohreally

bcfc2004 wrote: »

Lets you create a CV in word rather than the generaic .pdf layout they use.

I'm not sure of the problem. I prefer .pdf anyday - smaller, easier to protect etc.

WPN

bcfc2004 wrote: »

Don'y know if anybody else uses reed for job search and for their CV but for a short time only they are allowing to build to create a premium CV (ususally £10) for free if you. Just login and enter the code 'PREMCV' when you go tothe checkout page.

Lets you create a CV in word rather than the generaic .pdf layout they use.

I hate to stab peoples hopes and dreams here but I would personally stay clear.

It is one of those free mass-production web services with an upgrade to get a word document copy...

The problem?

Scammers and hackers attack these big job websites to steal information from their databases. Monster and several others got hit. OK, so its free! However in the process you are sticking some highly personal information - although might not be sensitive in nature - theres a lot of data waiting to be stolen.

You only need a name, address and telephone number (or email address) to begin a scam database... you can build on it by available tools. No fail safe but can start generating a lot of information such as using the email through facebook or MSN - or calling you pretending to be from a past employer. They can even check Google Streetview for further details on your home and car (although easily outdated most people keep with the same) - perhaps you could do with double glazing, a block paved driveway etc. Once you have done; you sell on the database to whoever else for a lot of money.

I have no experience of such, but my point is although a CV isn't full of details, its a good start, effectively the building blocks. The scams could even include ID theft.

This might seem a bit OTT but these things happen. Monster (1.6m and 4.5m stolen account details if I recall correctly). Not sure if Reed has the same problems but any computer connected to the internet is vulnerable, firewalls etc only reduce the risk.

A con?

Afterall the Premium CV Builder has only 8 layouts (and when I just checked neither looked that impressive) with the Free layout being bog standard. Why no one couldnt use MS Word or Open Office etc. to achieve the same and keep hold of the information, I dont know. £10 seems a bit pricey just to unlock the template as a doc file and a few designs. Although I cannot say for the quality of other services, £10 is on the ladder of paying a professional to write your CV for you.

Then there is the age old problem with CVs. No two experts are going to agree which is best. This CV builder is just to create numbers of accounts to help with their business, furthermore, the premium CV builder is just an minor upgrade to create a revenue stream (no wonder they are giving it away free). Reed is relatively a heavy weight in the industry; I would expect something better from such a name that is designed around the hardcore demands of the top 3% of jobseekers rather than what appears to be a clone yet-another-cv-generator which thousands exist out there.

The technology of creating a web application to take input text to .doc format or .pdf has been around for a long time, it works great but more to the point its freely available even as open source (free software) subject to a few minor bespoke adaptations for its purpose. Innovation to build on that concept with advanced features is whats needed with a household name to jobseekers.. not some run-of-the-mill tool aimed to persuade non-reed.co.uk users to try their job search tools after finding the CV creator. There is nothing wrong with such move by Reed but if they want to hold on to the "employment experts" title they need to develop their online tools and resources more.