The 2-3 page CV...when you're in your 50s.

sitesafe

Just curious on others views on this. I've always thought it a bit difficult when you're older to still be expected to keep a cv down to 2-3 sides - surely in that time you've had more jobs and attended more courses than you normally would have in your 20s say. There's lots I'd like to put on my cv that might be useful but I'm having to leave a lot out that might just give me a small advantage over someone else just to keep my cv down to size.

I've got to try and fit 13 jobs (and that is paring them down!) and their duties etc on just two sides of a4 along with the usual qualifications, further education, personal profile and additional information. I feel I'm selling myself short but my recruitment agent says it should be 2 or 3 max. I think it'd be a lot fairer if they allowed you a page per decade of working life as we might do courses and gain qualifications as we change career direction or get promoted.

Does 13 jobs sound bad at 52? Does anyone else miss out the odd job that you might have tried for a couple of months when you first left school but left for a better one?

TELLIT01

You can put the most important aspects into the personal statement part of the CV. An employer will generally only be intersted in what you have been doing over the past 10 years or so. Much technical knowledge gained prior to that could be out of date.

The alternative is to ensure that the main CV is kept to 2 or 3 pages and attach a full work history with courses etc to the CV. That way the recruiter doesn't have to plough through reams of potentially irrelevant information. In many cases a CV or half a dozen pages or more won't even get read. They certainly won't give a monkey's about courses you attended 20 years ago unless they are of direct relevance to this job.
Part of the skill in drafting a CV is to ensure that it is short and to the point. If you don't grab the attention on the first page you've probably lost anyway.

Lioness_Twinkletoes

I am 48 and my job history is:

Various admin via agency (don’t bother putting this on my CV)
Local council
Local Housing Association
Local council

In total I’ve had five jobs but three are with the Council - and two were two year secondments and one is my current role. So yes, 13 is quite high and I’d be dumping some. I generally look to cover the last 15 years. My CV is over 3 pages but I could get it onto two pages. I‘ve just never seen the need.

I think you should more selective. No one needs details of 13 jobs.

sitesafe

Thank you both. Would you tend to put a head and shoulders photo also? It's not something I've done before but am being asked to.

TELLIT01

sitesafe wrote: »

Thank you both. Would you tend to put a head and shoulders photo also? It's not something I've done before but am being asked to.

If a photo is required as part of the application process then provide one. It could be a sneaky way for the agency/potential employer to get around the issue of not having to supply a date of birth in an application.

Witchfinder_General

Worked for coming up to 42 years straight. Only had 3 jobs. My CV can be done on 1xDuplex A4 sheet. Only started with current Blue Chip employer 2 years ago. CV wasnt a problem.

sitesafe

TELLIT01 wrote: »

If a photo is required as part of the application process then provide one. It could be a sneaky way for the agency/potential employer to get around the issue of not having to supply a date of birth in an application.

Hmm yes hadn't thought of it like that but now you mention it! One agency said I have to put date of birth which I thought didn't apply any more but I just did it anyway.

sitesafe

Witchfinder_General wrote: »

Worked for coming up to 42 years straight. Only had 3 jobs. My CV can be done on 1xDuplex A4 sheet. Only started with current Blue Chip employer 2 years ago. CV wasnt a problem.

Well done on your longevity - your current employer was obviously impressed by it

Lorian

sitesafe wrote: »

Thank you both. Would you tend to put a head and shoulders photo also? It's not something I've done before but am being asked to.

Being asked by whom?

I interview from time to time and I've never seen a photo on anyone's CV. I don't work in the beauty industry though!

As for the number of pages - keep it to two ideally - very brief synopsis on older jobs unless really relevant to the roll you are applying for, only include detail on he last 2 or 3 years/rolls.

Doshwaster

I'm in my mid-40s and have recently dropped some jobs I did in my teens and early 20s from my CV. Nobody is interested in the summer jobs you did as a student and it's not as if they are likely to want to go back to an employer from 20 years ago for a reference.

Another change I have made is putting a link to my LinkedIn profile at the top of my CV next to the email address as it is a way of showing off details not on your CV such as your industry connections and recommendations. The chances are any prospective employer is going to look you up anyway so make it easier for them to find the right John Smith.

theoretica

Is this a UK company? Photos are not usual in the UK, but are in some other countries, and different countries have different expectations.


Putting lots of jobs on needs care to avoid repetition.