CV Help

truly86

Good evening,

I am currently sorting through my CV and would like some advice on the employment history section.

I am applying for a job at a music charity in London and using the job description as a reference. I have included my experience in fundraising, PR, music, organising, editorial, team work etc. but two of the essential skills I must include are verbal and written communication skills and administrative experience. I learnt these skills when I worked at Lloyds TSB after my first year of university back in 2005. From 2006-2010, I had lots of bar jobs. I do not want to include this on the CV as they are not relevant to the position. I did have bar work included on last year, but it took up one page and looked unprofessional in my opinion and not relevant to the jobs I was applying for.

So, my question is, shall I include the administrative skills dating back from 2006 or leave this? I've also included work experience in PR, magazine, a tv/radio station, where I carried out administrative experience. However, I became more proficient using these skills at Lloyds TSB.

Many thanks

National_Careers_Service

Hi there

Using the job description as a reference point for your CV is a great starting point - you’d be surprised at how many people don’t.

With regard to getting across the relevant skills, does it matter where or when you developed your skills, provided that you have them?

A further point to consider is how you’re presenting your information; as in the CV format. Reading between the lines it sounds like you may be following a chronological CV format, where you start with your most recent work history, and work backwards. If this is the case, the levels of your skills and experience may not match those outlined in the job advert, and you’ll also be limited to where the information appears in your CV which may lose some of the impact that you’re looking for. If you think of your CV from the employers point of view, the reader will need to see straight away (in the first half page) that the candidate has the key qualities and abilities essential for the role advertised.

You may want to consider using an alternative CV type, such as the “Targeted” or “Functional” CV. You’ll find some good examples on the National Careers Service website.

These CV formats, would allow you to draw attention to specific skills and experience very early on in your CV using a bullet pointed layout, without the need to mention who you were working for at the time. It would also give you the flexibility to match the order in the job advert you’re using.

I hope this helps and good luck!

Adam