DS17.....what to put on his CV to make it stand out......

[BentBaastard]

Ds is in year 12.

We live walking distance to a brand new town centre with some fabulous shops.

He did brilliantly with his GCSEs and has some strong qualities such as punctuality, reliability and a good work ethic.

He’s applied for lots of jobs but doesn’t seem to be getting anywhere. I’m so frustrated for him as he’s really trying.

Any tips for getting your cv noticed by employers please?

Thanks in advance

Has he done anything outside school, or extra curricular in school that isn't related to school work?
eg Helping out with younger students in a club
Volunteering
Prefect
Team player - sports/choir/orchestra (also shows self discipline and organisation skills)

Any trips with scouts, etc which have involved selection procedures etc?

Has he got a special interest relevant to the type of job he is applying for?

He volunteered at the library for reading challenges

He’s babysat for neighbors

He was a prefect

Surely he can turn all those things into positives?

What sort of jobs is he applying for?

I’m just wondering what prospective employers look at

As a parent I always read the personal statements first on my child’s report and then results

I’m wondering if they do the same 🤷🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️

His CV looks good to me.

He’s only applying for Saturday jobs or evenings.
Shops, restaurants etc

Just thinking how to get his CV noticed.

He should take it in in person, show he's presentable and confident.

Yes to volunteering
He’ll be up against a lot of people his own age who will have code cadets/captained sports teams etc etc etc.

Is he applying for retail?

I needs to tailor his CV to each individual place and potential position but I do have to say that I too have a dd in Year 12 and not many places are looking for 17 year olds at the moment (she is near a big retail outlet place and has had nothing so far). Most of what we have seen advertised wants more flexibility than a 17 year old can give eg Saturdays & Sundays or being able to cover hours in the week as well.

Dd has similar experience to your ds - Summer Reading Challenge volunteer, helping out at kids Saturday drama classes which is part of her school outreach programme, participation in elite performing arts also she had the advantage of me ruinning a business for years where she often helped out at events, exhibitions and leaflet drops etc.

Still no-one wants a 17 year old unless she can commit to more hours than her A levels/diploma allows.

well the library volunteering should definitely be highlighted - working as part of a team, working in a face-to-face role with the public.

Prefect shows responsibility and presumably respected by his peers/teachers (if he was voted into his position?)

Babysitting also shows responsibility acknowledged by others outside his family.

Would the library be willing to provide a reference? Neighbours could provide character reference too. It's worth listing that on his CV.

Agree that delivering the CV to the person actually recruiting each job would be useful (assuming he is clean, tidy and polite )

The key thing is to spend time and effort tailoring the cv to each different job they are applying floor. Nothing worse than a generic cv not saying anything about what that person can offer that particular company. Dissect the job advert and understand what its saying, and do some background research on the company and adapt the cv accordingly.

He's one of hundreds I expect - don't take it personally or as a slight on his skills.

There are so many exam finishers all now racing round trying to find summer work; and if you have a vacancy, it's a lot easier if your mate has a son or daughter you already know who wants a job, rather than the ballache of advertising widely and having to sift/interview/check.

On which note, tap into your own network and ask everyone if they know of something. All you need is for his CV to make it onto the top of the pile and that may be enough.

Remember too to check for things that should NOT be on a CV.

Fancy fonts.

Spelling mistakes.

Poor punctuation.

Coloured paper.

A lot of employers do a quick first sort and weed out cvs that don't meet basic rules.

My husband hires part time workers in the shop he works in, and he says he is most impressed with someone who brings it in in person (ie not their mother etc), is confident, polite and friendly but not pushy. CV wise, outline his people skills, his time management and problem solving skills and how keen he is to learn etc. Why they like that particular company etc.

As a parent I always read the personal statements first on my child’s report and then results

I used to hire young people.

The first section I went to was qualifications and experience. I was running performing arts classes so looked for some evidence the child had studied or took part in performing arts (GCSE/A Level drama/Btec/dance/music grades.

The experience. So I was looking for evidence of having worked with children or backstage at school shows or with the general public in some way.

I very rarely read the personal statement bit as everyone was always a "highly motivated individual, punctual and reliable etc etc etc"

So for retail I would be loking for specific example of how the young person had experience in customer service, dealing with members fo the public, perhaps a flair for art/fashion if appropriate.

Most retail shops have said apply on line
I think it’s better to meet the manager personally with your cv
My grandson is 16 and I feel the odds are even more stacked against him

The formatting won't transfer but this is a CV dd did to apply for a teaching assistant position. if she was applying for retails she'd miss off all her music and dance qualifications and just put a paragraph about what transferable skills she has learnt from them instead.

WORK EXPERIENCE

2018-Present Youth Theatre – Assistant
Assisting the leader to deliver sessions in drama and musical theatre to groups
of children aged 7 to teens including working with small groups to teach songs and
direct both scripted and improvised pieces.
2017 Library – Summer Reading Challenge Volunteer
Assisting the library staff to deliver craft activities for children. Tidying shelves and
Filing away books. Assisting library visitors in the children’s department to select
Suitable books.
2008 – 2015 Stagecoach
Helping at classes and events from to setting up and clearing away at the beginning
and end of school, preparing mailshots, taking part in Active Open Workshops
alongside prospective students, greeting parents and prospective students at Open
Days and talking to them about the benefits of performing arts training.

VOCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

2018 – Present College
Diploma in Musical Theatre (due for completion 2021)
2019 -Present London College of Music
Diploma in Music Theatre Singing (to be taken 2020)
2019 International Society of Teachers of Dance
Tap Advanced 1 (Distinction)
2018 LAMDA
Acting Grade 8 (Merit)
2016 International Society of Teachers of Dance
Modern Theatre Dance Intermediate (Distinction);
2016 Royal Academy of Dance
Ballet Intermediate (Distinction)

ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS

2018-Present A Level
English Literature; Religious Studies (to be taken 2020)
2018 GCSE
English Language (9) English Literature (8) Maths (8) Religious Studies (9) Music (8)
Physics (8) Chemistry (8) Biology (7) French (6)

OTHER TRAINING

2013 – 2018 Dance School
Training in ballet, modern, jazz, tap, contemporary, drama,
singing and choral singing
2018 Voice Workshop
Multidisciplinary day for teachers and performers on overcoming difficulties in
singing
2008 – 2013 School of Dance
Recreational classes in RAD ballet & ISTD tap and modern theatre dance
2005 – 2013 Stagecoach
Eight years of classes in dance, drama and singing

OTHER EXPERIENCE

In 2017 I was selected by my school to attend a Model United Nations conference in Europe. I applied to give an address at the opening ceremony and was the only British student selected to do so. I attended the conference again in February 2019 and this time I successfully applied to co-chair a committee made up of international student delegates which involved (details of skills developed)

In 2018 I was selected to visit Auschwitz with the Holocaust Educational Trust as part of their Lessons From Auschwitz Project. An integral part of the project was reflecting upon and sharing my experience with others and I (what relevant skills were learned)

BowiesJumper My husband hires part time workers in the shop he works in, and he says he is most impressed with someone who brings it in in person (ie not their mother etc)

Just this morning I saw this exchange on a vacancy in a FB jobs group:
Person: "Hi, is this job still available. Asking for my boyfriend."
Employer: "We've filled that one now, but this is the page we advertise all our jobs on "
Person: "Thank you"
Person: ""

So boyfriend was in the same group and she's asking employers about jobs for him and he has no involvement at all.

With that (non-)level of get up and go, I'd be bargepoling him as an applicant...

Thanks everyone

Will send him this link to read

Who knew to bargepole was a verb! Seriously though, other people doing the leg work is a real turn off as Buzz says.

For Saturday jobs, I’d say walk the town and speak to recruiting person, if possible.
Take a good cv without embellishments and in a readable font on good white paper. Nine of the bright green, fuzzy font stuff.
Academic qualifications.
Non academic achievements.
Work experience.
Voluntary work.

Ambition and why he wants this particular job on a cover letter.

@Comefromaway Two of mine did HET programme. It was such a good thing and truly changed the way they considered the world. I’ve not heard of anyone else (other than those they went with) who has done it.

It was life changing for her Cherry. A long, hard day & there was somewhere they didn’t get to visit due to flight delays but so worthwhile.