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Specific Info On CV

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
I've been looking for a new job for ages now never really finding anything that matches the criteria I look for nor the roles I want to take on however someone told me about their recent interview with HMV and it sounds good.

I'm now contemplating applying to HMV but I need to redo my CV. I have read that you should make your CV match the company you are applying to. I have worked for a total of 8 companies since 2002 and I'm thinking of just adding the places that best match HMV in terms of what they do and job role.

That would mean putting only [roughly] 2 jobs on the CV leaving a lot of space. I don't add anything to my CV other than work history and to date I've always been successful with this format. The main reason for this is that I have no qualifications [other than Standard Grades] and I see putting them down on paper as a negative thing.

I have also read that if you are like that [no qualifications as one example, another was if you had no work experience to focus on your qualifications if you had any] you should focus on the positives, so the likes of your work history and so on.

I don't know what to do though. It's a toss up between putting my whole work history down over two pages. On top of that would be a cover letter or, as I said above trying to match up previous employment to HMV.

Should I just add my whole work history or take that advice and only add relevent employment ?

In all honesty I would happily accept a total career change moving out of Retail completely and into something else. The only thing's that hold me back are not having an qualifications and not knowing how to go about getting into other lines of work.

That is a different issue though.

ETA: Hah ! my browser crashed as I was previewing this and yet it posted ! Brilliant I thought I'd lost it !

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I would think it doesn't matter if you leave gaps, as long as they aren't too large and you're able to explain why you left them out if asked at interview. You might also label the section as 'relevant experience', for example.

    I would also personally always include a skills section on a non-education based CV. Outline your core qualities that are usually required, such as communication, ability to deal with customers and teamwork. If you gained any specific skills from previous jobs, such as a management qualification, you can also mention those.

    A covering letter or objectives section on the CV would also be a useful place to explain why you want the job and why they should hire you.

    Good luck!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    i'm not sure about only putting 2 of the 8 places you've worked for - why not mention them all briefly, but emphasise the two that are most relevent? if you leave gaps, they're bound to ask and as you've actually been working, i'd put it all down.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I do have a cover letter aswell which basically goes over my work history touching on most things.

    Had not thought of that one actually Kat_b. Might try that too. I'm going to end up making various CV's so I can take on board all these suggestions and use them for the templates I create.

    Thanks.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    well, i was just thinking that in the interview what if they say something like, so what were you doing in 2005 and you say, i was working at so and so... surely they'd ask you why you didn't put that on your cv? some of your jobs might not be relevent to the new ones you're applying to in the strictest sense but im sure a lot the skills you used/learnt in them are e.g team work, time management would be,
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