Post #277,253
1/3/07 2:41:12 AM
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CV Critique please
[link|http://homepage.ntlworld.com/peter.whysall1/cv.doc|Clicky clicky].
It's in Word format because that's what recruiters and companies over here demand - but there's nothing at all clever in it, so OpenOffice opens it without issue. (As does Wordpad if you haven't been Vista-ed yet)
Things to bear in mind:
1. I'm not looking to change my field of work, so there's a lot of domain-specific language in there.
2. This is a CV for the UK jobs market.
Cheers!
Peter
[link|http://www.no2id.net/|Don't Let The Terrorists Win]
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Post #277,256
1/3/07 3:04:41 AM
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First, a slight digression: (new thread)
Created as new thread #277255 titled [link|/forums/render/content/show?contentid=277255|First, a slight digression:]
[link|mailto:MyUserId@MyISP.CountryCode|Christian R. Conrad]
(I live in Finland, and my e-mail in-box is at the Saunalahti company.)
Ah, the Germans: Masters of Convoluted Simplification. — [link|http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/?p=1603|Jehovah]
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Post #277,258
1/3/07 4:39:15 AM
1/3/07 4:41:12 AM
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Harsh (and possibly useless?) criticism:
Matters of overall style: - From the preamble: "customer-facing" and "leverage" -- MBA-buzzworditis much? Yuck, if you pardon my saying so.
- From the "Skills" bit: "I am an X who Z" twice in a row; a little too repetitive? Worse (IMO), every single paragraph (and every sentence but one) in the section starts with either "I am" or "I have". Yeah, I know a CV is all about you and what you've done and know... Which is why it's damn hard not to make it come out as if you were self-centered bordering on egomaniac. But if you don't make the effort, that's what you look like.
Idunno, I suspect there's considerable variation between different countries as to what a CV is "supposed" to look like... But I'm fairly sure that up here, anyway, it's more comme-il-faut to look a bit more humble and less "me, me, ME!". But for all I know, the opposite may be exactly right in the UK... (Heck, it's quite possible that I'm way out of touch with how they're supposed to look here, too! :-) Pickery of Nits: - Cleveland? Isn't that in Ohio? :-)
- In the "IT Systems Engineer" section of your work experience listing, you say "Additionally, I am responsible for the system backups..." [Emphasis added] Do you still have that task, or should that also be changed to past tense?
- You mention "the HATMS community" twice (Under "Site Data & Test Engineer", and then under "skills"), but after that every mention of "HA TMS" has a space between 'HA' and 'TMS'. Assuming it's the same HA TMS (or HATMS) all the way, I'd say you should write it the same way every time too.
- Should that really be a capital-O 'Of' in "University Of Teesside"? Maybe that's standard English English usage, I'm not sure; it may be just my own personal style preference to write it small.
HTH!
[link|mailto:MyUserId@MyISP.CountryCode|Christian R. Conrad]
(I live in Finland, and my e-mail in-box is at the Saunalahti company.)
Ah, the Germans: Masters of Convoluted Simplification. — [link|http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/?p=1603|Jehovah]
Edited by CRConrad
Jan. 3, 2007, 04:41:12 AM EST
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Post #277,261
1/3/07 7:00:21 AM
1/3/07 7:01:00 AM
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Re: Harsh (and possibly useless?) criticism:
1. True, but when in Rome and all that.
2. Yep, good point. Stylistic cleanup needed. I wrote all that last night when I was a bit tired, and it shows.
What's the point of being humble? If you don't think you're great, who else will? This is my trumpet-blowing document. Of course, it's important not to over-egg the pudding.
Nits:
1. It was in the UK first. Those Ohioians just stole it. Thiefses!
2. Good catch.
3. HA TMS (Highways Agency Traffic Management System) should have the space. Thanks.
4. No, the "of" gets a small "o". Check the [link|http://www.tees.ac.uk/|web site]. In general, the linking words in titles like that don't get capitalised.
Peter
[link|http://www.no2id.net/|Don't Let The Terrorists Win]
[link|http://www.kuro5hin.org|There is no K5 Cabal]
[link|http://guildenstern.dyndns.org|Home]
Use P2P for legitimate purposes!
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Edited by pwhysall
Jan. 3, 2007, 07:01:00 AM EST
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Post #277,279
1/3/07 11:20:49 AM
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I is useless in a CV
they already know it was YOU that did these things.
Start every statement with an action.
such as
Ran nightly backups
Responded to Customer Service Inquiries
Installed Project X across 3000 user base
Modified Process Y saving the company 10 million carbunkles per year.
Everything I saw on the UK job boards supported the use of bullets as opposed to the freeform you are using.
Too much of today's music is fashionable crap dressed as artistry.Adrian Belew
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Post #277,283
1/3/07 11:51:41 AM
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Good point
I'll try that and see what it smells like.
Peter
[link|http://www.no2id.net/|Don't Let The Terrorists Win]
[link|http://www.kuro5hin.org|There is no K5 Cabal]
[link|http://guildenstern.dyndns.org|Home]
Use P2P for legitimate purposes!
[link|http://kevan.org/brain.cgi?pwhysall|A better terminal emulator]
[image|http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h262/pwhysall/Misc/saveus.png|0|Darwinia||]
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Post #277,354
1/3/07 11:15:57 PM
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Nit
I believe you meant to say "I am useless."
===
Kip Hawley is still an idiot.
===
Purveyor of Doc Hope's [link|http://DocHope.com|fresh-baked dog biscuits and pet treats].
[link|http://DocHope.com|http://DocHope.com]
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Post #277,366
1/4/07 1:20:44 AM
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No. I didn't.
Too much of today's music is fashionable crap dressed as artistry.Adrian Belew
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Post #277,272
1/3/07 10:27:42 AM
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suggestion
Instead of listing how many servers you managed, just list the types in each area.
"team responsible for the day-to-day operation of IT resources including a VAX, Windows NT servers, Linux servers and AlphaServers." that way you dont run into a fac who thinks you cant run a larger shop.
thanx,
bill
Any opinions expressed by me are mine alone, posted from my home computer, on my own time as a free american and do not reflect the opinions of any person or company that I have had professional relations with in the past 51 years. meep
reach me at [link|mailto:bill.oxley@cox.net|mailto:bill.oxley@cox.net]
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Post #277,273
1/3/07 10:29:14 AM
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Good point, ta.
Peter
[link|http://www.no2id.net/|Don't Let The Terrorists Win]
[link|http://www.kuro5hin.org|There is no K5 Cabal]
[link|http://guildenstern.dyndns.org|Home]
Use P2P for legitimate purposes!
[link|http://kevan.org/brain.cgi?pwhysall|A better terminal emulator]
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Post #277,339
1/3/07 9:36:01 PM
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Red pen
typo: "7-cabinet instation"
Tense issue: "I have performed site visits" drop the "have", it reads like that's your current position.
"Additionally, I am responsible for the system backups" ==> "I also performed system backups" unless you had sole responsibility for it (rather than joint responsibility as in the rest of this section), in which case "I was also responsible for" (The "Additionally, ..." structure reads like corporatese)
"I was also providing" ==> "I also provided"
And a question: "I have a full UK driving licence" In the U.S. I'd never think to include the fact that I had a driver's license. What does this mean for you?
===
Kip Hawley is still an idiot.
===
Purveyor of Doc Hope's [link|http://DocHope.com|fresh-baked dog biscuits and pet treats].
[link|http://DocHope.com|http://DocHope.com]
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Post #277,369
1/4/07 1:42:36 AM
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Re: Red pen
Good points, ta.
You should include your driving ability on a UK CV. Not every job requires it, but I'd be crippled in mine (and the kind of work I'm looking for) if I didn't have one.
Basically, the CV is designed to get you past the first hurdle which comprises the following steps:
1. Take all CVs submitted, throw away half (don't want to hire unlucky people)
2. Ditch all those who can't drive (or haven't bothered to say they can)
3. Filter for bullshitters
4. Filter for illiterate colonial baboons: spelling errors on CV == instant death.
5. Make shortlist according to skills and whether one likes the cut of the applicant's jib
Peter
[link|http://www.no2id.net/|Don't Let The Terrorists Win]
[link|http://www.kuro5hin.org|There is no K5 Cabal]
[link|http://guildenstern.dyndns.org|Home]
Use P2P for legitimate purposes!
[link|http://kevan.org/brain.cgi?pwhysall|A better terminal emulator]
[image|http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h262/pwhysall/Misc/saveus.png|0|Darwinia||]
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