eskape

Hi,

I would really appreciate it if someone could take a look to my resume and provide some criticism and advices. Thanks in advance!
my-resume-blanked.doc

woodoo

Hey eskape,

I have been going through my own cv recently and had some tips recently that apply to yours also.

In your overview section, add another paragraph to summarise what you have done and want you want to do next. (The first paragraph says what you are)

For each company you have worked at provide one / two sentences describing what the company does (not everyone will have heard of each company) also consider providing urls to each companies website.

Dont forget to mention any training you have had recently, and also a little about your personal hobbies (companies also like to know the personality behind the employee).

More than anything the best advice I have received is to make sure you tailor your cv for each job you apply for - ensuring you highlight the achievements relevant to the particular position.

Hope that helps

moneypenny20

Can you edit the resume to remove both your name, email addy and phone number please. I don't want to remove the resume as you're asking for advice but those bits need blanking out.

eskape

Done

derbyflan

I'm not sure if there is an international template for CVs but in the UK, a six-page CV would most likely end up in the bin.

Here, we advocate 2-pages at the most. Recruiters speed-read CVs and won't have the time nor inclination to read all of your history. Therefore, some of what they're looking for may get missed in all the other detail.

A 'passable' CV over here might take the following format:

First:

Personal Details. This is your name, address, contact numbers and email address.

Second:

Profile. A short paragraph highlighting your personal qualities (that can be measured) using adjectives.

Third:

Key skills and achievements. No more than 4 bullet points outlining your main skills with an example in each of what those skills have achieved for an organisation.

Fourth:

Educational Qualifications, Professional Memberships and Awards. Listed in date order (most recent at the top of the most significant quals etc that you hold.

Fifth:

Professional Experience and Employment History. Bullet points briefly listing (again in date order) the last 10-years worth of employment using more examples of how your employment helped your employers.

Sixth:

Any other information. As it says! You could list hobbies and interests here although I've been told in the past by professional CV compilers that recruiters aren't necessarily interested in your hobbies at this stage (you can tell them about those in the interview if its relevant).

It's vitally important to tailor your CV to suit the job specification for each application. Place a greater emphasis on qualities, experience and qualifications that they're looking for in the vacant position.

Finally, I always provide a one page covering letter with every application - as an introduction and explaining why you want to work for the company (with a little research about them - which shows your interest) and how soon you will be available to take up employment. No need to copy anything that's already in your CV here.

Hope this helps and good luck

Bermudashorts

For a long time I aimed to keep my CV to two pages, however in recent years most recruiters I have spoken to have acknowledged that employers would understand that it is hard to condense 17 years of work experience plus all personal details and qualifications onto two pages. I now stick to three.

I think six pages is way to long especially as it only goes back five years.

I thought the "keywords" section was a bit odd, I would lose that.

Is there any way of consolidating some of these jobs, as a lot of them are short term and it is a bit repetitive to read. When I have come across CVs were somebody has worked on a series of projects they might put together the similar ones but mention all the client names of course.

Just my thoughts.

eskape

This section is nothing more than machine search optimisation, describing all tools, libraries and technologies I ever used. If I wrote about each of them specifically, my CV would have far more than 10 pages

Nevertheless, thank you very much for your advice, I'll update my CV.

sportsendurance

I have always been advised to stick to 2 pages but including my referees contact details I use three pages.
6 pages does seem too long especially since I would imagine you will have your personal details at the beginning. however, I have been advised to write about as much as possible and not to restrict myself to 2 or 3 pages. I suppose it depends on the person reading your CV as to what they require!
Normally your education would come first followed by your skills / experiences and your qualifications will have their grade mentioned.
BoL

wookiee06

the key word section is correct in an IT cv, you should merge this with KEY SKILLS AND ABILITIES to form soomething like this

KEY SKILLS AND ABILITIES
Languages: Java, SQL, UML, J2EE EJB 2.1, EJB 3.0,
Web Development: Java Servlets, JSP, JSF, Facelets, RichFaces, JavaScript,XML
Open Source: Ant, Maven, Spring, Hibernate,SOAP
Servers: Tomcat, SOAP, Web Services, , SEAM, iBATIS, commons(former Jakarta)
Database: Oracle ……
Other: OOP, JSR-168 Portals, JDBC, JPA, Swing, jGoodies, JIDE, , Commons JBoss, Resin, Hessian, Web Services, , SEAM,

Also i would scale down the project desciptions. Choose the projects which show case your skills and the direction you want the reader to take. For example. if want to show j2ee and Database programming. You would need create seperate cvs.

It recruiters care about your experience then education or training courses. Under your it skills profile, have your work experience.

eskape

I'm completely lost I've removed this section just before posting because of another advice from IT recruiter.

itxrd

Agree with most of the replies. I work in your line of work and am a contractor so see lots of cv's and have to make sure mines good too.

1) The headings - experience, keywords etc are tabbed along. Looks odd. Keep them level with the rest
2) Way too long. Like everyone says 2 pages is enough. No one cares about what you did 10 yrs ago. Proj desc can be shortened. Font made to 10. Page 3 - Maven, formatting - these words are the only words on a line and are therefore taking up a whole line. Make the most use of the space. Put some thought into it.
3) You cv ends with a third of a page. Doesn't look great
4) Keywropds - waste of space - you have that their already in the body of CV
5) Education should be at bottom - its yrs ago

Hope that helps!

ozhappy981

Could you please clarify where "here" is? UK? Or Oz?

Was you CV advice based on your experience of the UK recruitment process or on your experience of the Australian recruitment experience?

itxrd

Both. Aussies will even have less patience trawling through all that.

Send it as it is if you want. You'll see for yourself

eskape

Just got a reply from one of the agents: six pages is definitely OK for IT specialist with 5+ years of experience, but restructuring is required to shorten project descriptions and to extend my own role in those projects.

itxrd

Good luck!

Why have you got your IELTS score on your signature? ;-)