CV Layout for OZ?!
 

Morning all,

We have finally been given our Visa yea :)
Our flights are booked for the 21st Jan, the dogs paper work has been sorted.

The only sting in the tail is that my companys office in OZ now no longer have any empty positions so I need to start looking else where.

Can anyone let me know if the layout of a CV for OZ is different from the UK?
Any tips would be great.

Ta Very much
Chelly

Re: CV Layout for OZ?!
 

in my line of work they tend to want to know what projects you have worked on and their value.

im an engineering geologist (kind of civil engineer) who does railway work so i put down projects i have worked on and their size and value.

hope that helps.

Re: CV Layout for OZ?!
 

It depends and since i have redone mine i have had much quicker success.

rules are:

No more than 3 pages!

Name, contact details

Career Vision Statement - 1 paragraph

Last jobs - no more than 5 year history
Key Skills and responsibilities

Education/training history

Personal Interests

THEN the nitty gritty comes in your cover letter where you can address all the skills requested for the position you apply for.

NOT too much writing - make it bullet point and brief.

Re: CV Layout for OZ?!
 

Most places here want a Resume rather than a CV so submit it as a Resume or CV depending on what is asked for. I have both saved!

Re: CV Layout for OZ?!
 

I have recently discovered that on top of the covering letter (no more than 2 pages) and your resume/cv, in a lot of jobs you also have to answer each of the job specifications and personal specifications. This can be as long as 10 or so pages and is expected, if you do not you may not even be considered for an interview (as in my case) luckily the boss was impressed with my application and contacted me and asked me to send him the job/person spec statement, this has resulted in an interview :)

Re: CV Layout for OZ?!
 

They go for details over here - the 2 pages rule does not apply.

It is insulting at times, but that's ho it works over here, certainly with IT recruiters.

Re: CV Layout for OZ?!
 

How come there is no concensus on oz CV/Resume format? Does each oz industry/job has their own standard CV/Resume format?

Re: CV Layout for OZ?!
 

How come there is no concensus on one oz CV/Resume format? Does each oz industry/job has their own standard CV/Resume format?

Re: CV Layout for OZ?!
 

I can only speak from my background in the engineering industry but unless you've been working more than 10/15 years, don't go over 2 pages for the CV/resume. I would ditch the career vision statement because it takes up valuable space and it's nothing that can't be partially covered in your cover letter. Some mention on here of a 2 page cover letter, not in this lifetime...and not in the UK either. I'll get jumped on if this disagrees with anyone but that's my personal experience so take it or leave it.

Re: CV Layout for OZ?!
 

Well shows how different it can be
I have been asked in all my 3 jobs i have got interviews for to provide a cv (not over 4 pages) a covering letter (2 pages) and a job spec personal spec statement which is around 14 pages (and i have been informed this is by no meens large)

I was very shocked to hear this so i asked for confirmation and this is what they said

"The practice of addressing the essential criteria is a long standing practice in all governmental settings such as healthcare etc, often requiring an individual to spend long hours preparing an application addressing the criteria. If you have been applying for jobs and not getting to the interview stage with Australian employers companies it is possible it is because they will argue that the essential criteria have not been addressed therefore they do not proceed to the second stage of the selection process being an interview."

So i would say read the application form back to front upside down and back again and ask them exactly what they want.

Good Luck :fingerscrossed:

Re: CV Layout for OZ?!
 

So I think the rule is - to find out the industry expectation for your field as we have all said different things. I think I am about to get offered a job as an Employment Consultant/Advisor so should know more soon after training! :-):thumbup:

Re: CV Layout for OZ?!
 

Same as any other country - short and sweet, 1-3 pages.

CVs are a waste of time anyway but that's another story.

Re: CV Layout for OZ?!
 

How on earth can you make that statement??? A CV gets you the interview, fact, if your CV does not interest them, be it content/applicability/length/suitability then thats fine. The potential employer has the right of choice so they can decide themselves what they think is appropriate.
I have seen the short 1 page CV's and I have seen the loooooooong 10 page CV's but in all honesty our HR team don't care, most candidate recruitment teams have search software now which scans the CV's and if it comes up with an above say 80% match to the job requirements then its looked at further. If not then tough, there is little human interaction now in initial CV scans from larger companies. Its the way of the world, so when responding to a job and sending in a CV/Resume whatever you want to call it, just make sure your respond to each job spec and just think 'key words'.

Re: CV Layout for OZ?!
 

Interesting- it clearly varies. My mother is prof in healthcare there and when she made her CV Australian (using kindly loaned peers' CVs for guidance) she had to lengthen it hugely, make is much more descriptive and include EVERYTHING, every scrap of published work, every conference attended etc.

Here in NZ teacher CVs are a really unfamiliar format and can include photos and samples of work!

So get advice from someone who works or recruits in your field of work at your level wrt CVs :thumbup:

Re: CV Layout for OZ?!
 

In the past couple of years I've interviewed loads of people and read loads of CVs. Here's what I've found out:
The person with the 'best' CV is often the worst candidate.
The person with the 'worst' CV is often the best candidate.
I can learn more from a candidate in a 5 minute interview than from any CV.
Asking 3-4 pertinant questions tells me all I need to know.
I usually know within 30-60 seconds whether a person is suitable or not.
HR people are generally a waste of space. They are usually air-head girls who have not got a clue about what we need. You should see some of the f**kwits they have sent to us for interview.
I don't care what a person's hobbies, life skills etc are. Are they qualified? Are they experienced? Can they do the job? All the rest is bollocks.

Unfortunately we now live in a world of corporate bullshit, lawyers, accountants and irrelevant arts degrees and this is what we have to put up with.

Re: CV Layout for OZ?!
 

'air-head girls'.......hmmmm....nice to see generalisation is not dead then! I don't think that totally sexist and misogynistic comment is warranted. As for CV's, going back to your original point, you do still NEED them as an entry point. Whether they are valid or not is for an experienced recruiter, both internally and externally' to resolve during the rest of the process.
In my limited experience, both as a recruiter and now as a trainer, the best job recruiters are those who head hunt for senior positions. They are the ones who know the industry, the customers and also know that if they put a crap candidate up for a job their reputation will suffer so they go the extra mile to ensure the candidate suits the role.

Re: CV Layout for OZ?!
 

It does seem to vary a good deal. My aunt gave my CV a complete facelift just before I arrived (she has recruitment experience) and it's a lot more presentable now.

When I registered with Hays, they were happy with my CV but advised me that they would tinker with it on an "as needed" basis before submitting it to clients. I think their aim is to ensure that it emphasises the skills and work history most relevant to the position.

Some industries seem to have specific preferences; others will take whatever comes out of the bag. Government jobs are the hardest, since they will demand an endless criteria-focused essay.

Oh, and... I took an irrelevant arts degree at uni.

:D

Re: CV Layout for OZ?!
 

As a word of advice, if you get an interview after Hays uses and 'tinkers' your CV, make sure Hays provides you with a copy of the 'tinkered' CV BEFORE attending any interview. It will save any embarrassing moments of silence when they ask you something about your CV that you are unaware of!

Re: CV Layout for OZ?!
 

The blonde with big tits from HR that I usually deal with is hot. Definitely worth a punch.

Re: CV Layout for OZ?!
 

2 different rules...

1) Private enterprise corporate employers:
Normal CV - 2-3 pages.. up to 4 or 5 perhaps if its good relevant experience with over 10 years of work in multiple significant but varied roles (i.e. IT contractor) and theres lots of white space to keep it readable.

2) Government Jobs:
Throw your CV in the bin and write an 8,000 word dissertation on how your skills match precisesly those of the specified requirements and why, even if they KNOW who the job is going to because they've been in line for it for years and its just being advertised as a formality to satisfy the HR jerks - they should give it to you..... Come to think of it why do you want to work for government anyway? 60% of the salary of the private sector and 300% of the bureacratic nonsense.... save your time... :D

(I have applied for government jobs in the past out of desperation - but always been quietly happy when I havent got them!)

Re: CV Layout for OZ?!
 

Haha, I can just imagine!

"So, Mr Stampede, tell us about your time as Chief Executive Officer for BP's South Pacific division..."

"Er... I visited Fiji once. Does that count?"

:blink:

Re: CV Layout for OZ?!
 

I tinker with my cv for every job i apply for - it takes me an average of 3 hours to tinker and write cover letter to meet spec sheet. Fortunately i have 3 months grace during my probationary period in my new job phew!

Re: CV Layout for OZ?!
 

I would not apply for a job which had this attached to it. Just not the way I think. Alarm bells would ring.

I did once do it for a govt job I did not really want and it involved a lot of cutting and pasting. "I've told you already!"

Re: CV Layout for OZ?!
 

Whereas I take 2 mins per job application. It's all in the CV - and an email, and for the most part - it stands alone - and unmodified(!) Haven't written a cover letter since I left school.

Re: CV Layout for OZ?!
 

I've been interviewing a lot recently and I'm quite amazed at how crap some candidates are. Many go bright red to the most mundane questions. One character went as red as a beetroot when someone asked him 'So tell me about yourself". (Did he still live with his mother?) Another was very dry and slow and spoke like he had terminal depression..

"Well - when you live with a mentally ill people".....

We asked him about this previous role:

"There were issues...one bloke hit another bloke. Not me though.."

My way of answering questions: I always keep it relaxed, but then try to make incisive, pointed remarks so they think - 'could work with him, but he's no *****w*t or an arse'. Say something general - show breadth of knowledge (this is your chance to show this - don't blag or waffle) - then cut immediately into a insightful detail which shows understanding and a degree of savvy. Then stop. A lot of interviewees start great then don't really stop. Show a little humour.

Re: CV Layout for OZ?!
 

Originally Posted by DibDob
I have recently discovered that on top of the covering letter (no more than 2 pages) and your resume/cv, in a lot of jobs you also have to answer each of the job specifications and personal specifications

I have to!! all my employment is in health this is the standard and is expected everytime you apply!

Re: CV Layout for OZ?!
 

Well I seem to have opened up a right can of worms with this :ohmy:

Has anyone who interviews or has been for interview in the past month or so any tips or advice on CVs, cover letters etc?

I've spent the last 16+ years in IT doing everything from building the machine, setting up networks, running training sessions to now doing telpehone and email support for a anti-virus company.

I'm currently a junior team leader (general dogs body is more like it) and want to move into full management.

Though it might help to post what I do in case that makes a difference :D

Re: CV Layout for OZ?!
 

Think someone in IT should answer this as it is industry specific... I recently applied for 3 jobs - got nothing from 2 jobs and was offered the job i actually really wanted - this was with my improved revised 3 page CV only covering my last 5 years work history and cover letter covering the job spec. And I"ve only been unemployed for 3 weeks.

Previously it took me 7 months to be offered an interview and then offered the job from my UK fully inclusive 6 page CV with full work history, paragraphs on key skills, experience etc.

Re: CV Layout for OZ?!
 

I don't get the question. Why would my CV be any different for an Australian employer than a UK one? Surely they will want to know the same things as anybody else regardless of nationality: i.e. education, qualifications, work experience.

Re: CV Layout for OZ?!
 

LMFAO!!!

Re: CV Layout for OZ?!
 

'When in Rome'.......its just better to try and understand their mentality and methodology, even if you don't agree with it or it seems overly bureaucratic, as it shows at least that you have researched your field and the local market. There are marked differences between UK and Oz in a lot of ways, the language may be similar but some work practices are both different and frustrating, they may well think the same of ours!
I think is good initiative of the OP to at least ask and ascertain if there is a common format in Oz. Does no harm.

Re: CV Layout for OZ?!
 

Fair enough. I was not for a minute suggesting that I don't agree with the Australian way of doing things or that I think it is overly bureaucratic though. On the contrary, my main point was that Australia is not another planet and Australian recruiters are probably interested in the same kind of things as a UK one.

My husband and I are close to PR, we are not really expecting to be able to find jobs before we go but we sometimes browse the sites. A few weeks ago I saw an ideal looking job and could not resist sending my normal CV in, got a response within a few hours. My husband sent his to somebody yesterday afternoon and has woken up this morning to a telephone interview invitation.

Re: CV Layout for OZ?!
 

www.careerone.com.au
www.seek.com.au
michelpage australia
Hays & Hudson

Lots of tips on CV/CV formats /Covering letter/Interview tips etc bit specific to OZ situation

Re: CV Layout for OZ?!
 

Some brillinat advice, well said, agree 100%!!!
This is where THE difference between two identical CV's comes in...