CV critique request

Bajjo

Hi,

I'm looking for critiques on these two versions of the same CV, they have been anonymised. Specifically which will work best.

Version 1: http://docdro.id/wsIn4u0

Version 2: http://docdro.id/DxSHNq3

in version 2 some of the formatting has broken since uploading so please ignore that as best you can and some of the photos I have replaced to keep it anonymous.

Thanks!

[Deleted User]

CV1 - good length. Rather boring to look at. Too many bullet points where you could have used a paragraph describing your job, then your achievements (in bullets).

Format it better, turn some bullets into paragraphs and you'll probably be ok with this.

CV 2 is too long. I don't even bother looking at it since it's 5 pages long. In the bin. I don't care what book you are reading either. Is the last page a joke?

So - there's a need for compromise. CV-1 isn't too far off, but it needs to look nicer.

Quite interesting since you went to school only 2 years after me

steampowered

CV1 is the standard format and is more appropriate for most jobs.

CV2 looks good, but I'd only use that sort of format if you were applying for a job in a creative industry such as advertising or marketing. It is also too long - remember that employers might receive hundreds of CVs so need to be able to get the key information quickly.

Scorpio33

CV1 is best.

CV2 is awful. Too long and for me, photos on a CV are a big no no.

tea_lover

CV1, with some format tweaks.

CV2 is about 3 times too long and a lot of the content just isn't relevant.

lincroft1710

CV2 was binned after reading 1st page.

CV1 - what did you do between 2003 and 2007?

It seems very formulaic, but I suppose it is no worse or no better than many other CVs.

paddyrg

The purpose of a cover letter is to get the CV read
The purpose of a CV is to get you in for interview
The purpose of the interview is to get the job.

A company advertises for employees because they have a problem they need to solve, and no other reason. That means whoever is recruiting has a problem, and is overstretched to need a new employee. They're overstretched and so don't have time to waste on froth. Your CV needs to say in the most efficient way possible "I can solve your problem so your life can calm down again"

The CV isn't the place to "sell" your personality with photos and clipart, you'll sell yourself at interview. Your CV needs to simply promise you can solve their skills shortage. Keep it concise, and ideally show by halfway down the first page that you are the person they are looking for who can solve their problem

TELLIT01

CV2 is awful. All the graphics and photo's make me think of a kid who's just discovered colouring pencils!
A CV needs to be concise and very rarely over 2 pages.

saker75

I agree. CV2 is a nice idea badly executed.
I would want data in there too. Talking about creating communities but nothing about impact.
And yeah, all the guff needs to go. Succinct can also be creative.

tripled

CV1
Rather plain but functional. Don't talk about yourself in the 3rd person.

I would have expected a bit more detail in your 8 years at X. You worked in marketing. What were your successes? A CV isn't just a catalogue of your responsibilities but an ability to demonstrate what you can achieve. Look at Fairy. Its marketing is that a bottle of Fairy lasts x% longer than its competitors, not that its responsibility is cleaning dishes.

No-one cares about your high school grades. You have a degree and years of experience. Get rid of the them.

References - personally I simply put "References available on request" on my CV, but I know many people don't bother putting anything at all. Do you have a linkedin? If so and you haven't already, put it in your contact details. You can then put all your previous work history in there and omit this section altogether if you want to. If you don't have a linkedin, set one up.

For someone who works in marketing this CV really doesn't sell you.

CV2
A better effort but it's messy and way too long. You need to get that down to two pages. Get rid of some of those pictures and reduce the space taken up by the header (omit it on the second page). Remember if you go through recruiters they will often anonymise CVs anyway so that becomes just wasted space. Get rid of superfluous information like high school grades. Be ruthless.

Page 1 of your CV needs to sell you. If there's not enough on page 1 to say "this person looks like he/she might be what we're looking for to fill this role", most of the time that will be game over. Page 2 becomes irrelevant, never mind pages three, four, five, etc.

Have you reviewed CV's before in your role as marketing team manager?

When I have reviewed CV's, I will scan the first page. So it needs to be easy to scan, and have enough information to be the "hook" to get the me to bother turning the page. Every person who reviews CV's is different, but most are busy and may have a number of CV's to review, so it's important your CV isn't discounted before you've got to the bit where you sell yourself.

Don't rely on the cover letter that some people have mentioned. They don't always make it as far as the person deciding whether to bring you in for an interview. Your CV needs to stand alone, the cover letter is an additional weapon and is important, but cannot be relied upon.

I will reiterate - page 1 of your CV must give the impression you seem suitable. Page 2 completes the picture. Your cover letter - if read - is used to grease your CV through the initial screening process, but think of it as a bonus if it makes it past this point.

Bajjo

Thank you all for the replies, critiques and feedback! Lots for me to think about and improve, cheers.