CV Reviews

The_Hurricane

Hi All,

I feel my CV is in reasonably good shape, however I just want to maximise its impact, are there any recommended online CV reviewers who could take a look at it for me?

Thanks.

ironlady2022

I normally just send it around my friends. Someone always spots something different and it doesn't cost a penny.

tommytynan123

I've been helping local unemployed with CVs for 12 months (my voluntary work) with some success stories - I'll happily glance through if you wish.

Dunroamin

You really shouldn't just be having one CV to send out for all your applications, you need a range to fit a variety of work.

The_Hurricane

Tommy, I've sent you a PM and thanks for your offer.

I have several CV's that I use from the same source CV; I've tried sending it around to friends but they say it's ok with little more feedback.

tommytynan123

I've replied to your PM - if its not there just tell me on here and I'll re-send.

The_Hurricane

Thanks, PM received and email sent.

gemma_8_1

You can send it to the National Careers Service. They reviewed mine recently and provided some userful feedback.

moneysavingobsessive

The_Hurricane - there are a lot of professional CV services who will review your CV for free.

I used one recently (and went on to purchase from them, but there wasn't any obligation or hard sell):

www.professionalcvandcareerservices.weebly.com

You have to be a bit careful though as some places aren't great - my Dad had one done by another firm a few years ago, paid hundreds of pounds and it was awful!

All the best.

jobbingmusician

Just a reminder that if you DO send your CV to anyone on here (it is actually against forum rules) for heaven's sake make sure your DOB, address and personal history/details are disguised. There are some helpful and genuine people on here, but it would be all to easy for an ID thief to make use of this site.............:eek:

National_Careers_Service

Hi The_Hurricane

It sounds like you have confidence in your CV, that’s really good to hear! I like mayling03’s idea of getting feedback from a number of people. It’s all too easy to spend countless hours going round in circles with the same set of ideas so some fresh suggestions from people whose opinion you respect and value can be a good way to make sure your CV has maximum impact. People’s viewpoints, indeed employer’s view points, can differ; observations made by one person might be missed by another and of course we all have our own opinions! Like Dunroamin said having a one size fits all approach to your CV won’t have the desired effect. I think it’s important to make the point that in the current climate employers expect to see a CV or an application that has been customised and individually tailored to them. After all do they really have time to read every CV word for word in order to extract the essential information they’re looking for?
You haven’t yet mentioned the type of work you’re applying for and that can make a difference when trying to make a good impression. For example a creative CV ingeniously made to look like a packet of biscuits might impress someone in the marketing, graphic design world but the it’s highly unlikely you’d get the same response from your average HR department!

I wonder; where’s your CV heading The_Hurricane?

Here are some things to think about when trying to maximise the impact of your CV:

Visual impact I asked 6 of my colleagues how they review a CV and every one of them said they look at the overall layout first. Why not ask your friends to answer these questions when they look at your CV:

· Is it easy to read?
· Is the font easy on the eye?
· Is there an appropriate use of bold or underlining?
· Does it have a uniformed look?
· Is it well spaced out or cluttered?
· Do they want to read on or do they feel overwhelmed with the amount of text?

The impact of the written word Spelling mistakes aside, does your CV ‘sound’ like you? Does it portray a true picture of who you are and all the valuable things you have to offer?

· Could you maximise the impact by selling yourself with a little more enthusiasm? Is your personal profile unrecognisable to your friends? If you’re prone to modesty and shy away from drawing attention to yourself then it’s time to use the feedback from your friends!
· Are the examples of your key skills backed up with evidence? It’s important to steer clear of using well worn phrases like excellent communication skills, well organised, able to work well as part of a team etc etc unless they’re backed up with something meaningful. For example ‘organised successful charity events and raised over £3000’
· Use number power! Simply put using numbers and symbols is an easy way of drawing the eye in. For example: ‘Increased profit margins by 25% over a 3 year period’ or ‘achieved 100% customer satisfaction’. Could you include any numerical attention grabbers in your CV?

A fresh pair of eyes I’m pleased to see that gemma_8_1 found our services useful and wonder if you’d like to take us up on the offer of some free impartial CV feedback too. Why not give us a call on 0800100900 to find out more.
I’d be really interested to know what you think of these ideas The_Hurricane and remember to keep us up to date with any progress!

Good luck
Tracey