Writing a CV

Former Member

I've heard that if your CV is more than 2 pages long employers won't bother with you... However, I have worked in a lot of places and have a reasonable amount of volunteer experience.

So, I was wondering if there's an unwritten rule as to how many jobs you should reference and also, are my GCSE and A2 level grades relevent seeing as I'm in university now?

Former Member

Definitely don't have your CV any longer than 2 pages, the people I know who work in HR say you're pushing it if it's over 1 for a lot of jobs. Remember there's some stuff that's better off on the covering letter.

I'm at uni, mine has 1 line on my A/AS levels and 1 on my GCSES along the lines of:

A Levels Maths(A), Physics (A), Chemistry(B)
AS Levels Maths(A), Further Maths (A), Physics (A) etc
GCSE's 9A*s, 1B including English, Maths, Sciences and French.

Which is concise and shows your skills.

As for jobs I wouldn't bother with anything from before you were 15 unless it was relevant to the post you're applying for. You can just list them with dates, only give any further info on recent/relevant ones.

Former Member

Your a-levels are worth including as they are the last qualification you've received. Think about which jobs are the most appropriate and keep the CV shorter by focusing on the key ones - just summarise the others to provide a proper work history.

Any job you are using for a reference should be included in more detail than one you aren't as well - but that will usually be your last job so that should happen anyway.

Check out our guide on writing a perfect CV for more advice on length and what to include.

Former Member

On a sidenote, how does a reference work?

Do you get them to write a statement when you leave, or what? Just someone asked me if I had a reference from my last job and I said no, and they seemed to take that as a really bad thing. But I'm sure if I asked my boss he would have said yes

Former Member

You give the name and address for the reference and the company get them - if someone says 'do you have a reference?' it really means 'do you have a person I can contact for a reference' - saying no implies that your last job have actively decided not to provide a reference - I'd explain in future - not having a reference is a very, very bad sign.

Former Member

This might sound a bit silly, but are there rules about putting your date of birth down? We had a discussion in the office about it and someone brought up age discrimination, but they could be talking out of their arse.

TheSite mentions date of birth in the link Jim posted, but is there anything against putting it down?

Former Member

All of it depends on what job you're going for. You need enough information for the employer to give you an interview, but it needs to be concise enough for the employer to be able to see it all quickly and easily. I've heard that date of birth isn't all that important, but then I'm looking for jobs in TV and film, where it really isn't. It probably would be important (though they'd never admit it for age discrimination reasons) for certain jobs.

Academic achievements aren't that important for most jobs. I prefer to mention that I can use Microsoft Office proficiantly, or can use a particular model of camcorder, rather than go into detail about having an A-Level in IT and degree in Film and TV. I'd say that in each section, put the most recent in the most detail. And personally, I put academic achievements last, because I see an employer saying "this is good so far, I wonder if they have a maths GCSE" rather than saying "oh great, they've got a maths GCSE, now let's see what other experience they've got".

Oh quick question. I have a clean driving licence and car (something which is of interest to employers). How would I word that on a CV? Any suggestions?

Former Member

I'm having the same problem, I've had 7 jobs in my time :eek:

Former Member

I was told just to put full driving license in with my qualifications. That's enough, if they need to know if you have access to a car they'll ask, but mentioning the license implies you do.

It all depends what jobs you're going for, if you're a uni student going for a placement or a graduate job then your academic history is pretty relevant, and probably the best you've got other than shop/bar work. Later on in your career it's a bit different.

Age discrimination rules now mean you don't have to put down your date of birth, but unless it's likely to cause you problems it's best to still put it as it puts your CV and the dates on it into context.

Former Member

Scary Monster wrote: »

I was told just to put full driving license in with my qualifications. That's enough, if they need to know if you have access to a car they'll ask, but mentioning the license implies you do.

Nah, every employer I'll be contacting will want me to have my own car.

Former Member

Well like I said at the start, it all varies with what you're applying for.

'Full UK driving license and car' then.

Former Member

You should include your most relevant qualifications- I include my GCSEs as well as A'Levels and degree, as you shouldn't assume that they'll think a degree proves GCSE competence.

A CV shouldn't be more than two pages long, and if it is any longer you are waffling. It's normally a good idea to go back your last 2-3 jobs in detail, and then just list previous jobs. It depends on what those jobs are, though, don't keep the waitressing job that you did when you were 15 on it, its irrelevant.

My CV lists my last two jobs in detail, as they are relevant for the work I want to do, and then lists the job I had before that as simply job title and place of work, to show that I have an employment history. When I leave my present job I'll bin the last job on my CV. Keep it relevant and concise.

Former Member

I'm sure someone told me to only put jobs on that were relevant?

Former Member

It's good to put all jobs in a time frame on, to be honest, to show that you have a full employment history. You can miss out the odd job if you were only there 3 weeks, but apart from that, try not to. University accounts for employment gaps so you have more freedom to omit jobs that were crap, though, so whilst you're a student its the perfect time to forget you ever did that telesales job you chucked after a week.

Former Member

Sofie wrote: »

I'm sure someone told me to only put jobs on that were relevant?

Only the details for the relevant ones, but you should list them all.

Former Member

There is no need to list every job you have ever done, especially if you have done all sorts. Your latest employer is unlikely to be interested to discover that you worked at such and such shop at the age of 12, for instance. Your academic achievements are perfectly relevant and, as such, should be mentioned at an early stage of the CV!

Former Member

No need to list GCSEs. I just put 10 GCSEs at grades A* to C. I list A Levels.

No need to include every single job ever. I only include professional experience, not crappy jobs I have had when I was younger. Although at my interview for this job, I was questioned about my work at Villa Park (worked there through uni) so it can help if you have worked somewhere interesting/abroad. It can make them remember you.

I've been told not to put hobbies down and I never do. Who cares if you like swimming and socialising?

Former Member

katchika wrote: »

I've been told not to put hobbies down and I never do. Who cares if you like swimming and socialising?

Yes, but liking swimming would be a fairly notable comment if you wanted to work as a lifeguard.

Former Member

I used to temp all through 6th form and uni, and so had about 16 jobs before I had a 'proper' one. I've included them all, but lumped them together in a 'various temporary roles' thing, so it barely takes up any space, but I can still wax lyrical about the skills I acquired, if necessary.

I don't think there is one perfect CV that all potential employers will like, though. The interests thing is the perfect example. I've been told just as many times that you should always include an interests line as I have that you shouldn't ever.